February 8, 2017 by The Sumter Item

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County resident vows to fight Sign ordinance fails, annexation approved during council meeting BY JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com Sumter City Council voted unanimously to annex 12 acres of property and an acre of right-of-way on the south

side of Patriot Parkway near Deschamps Road on Tuesday at its regular meeting. However, council only narrowly approved the first reading of a companion ordinance to change zoning for the property from Agricultural Conservation to Residential MultiFamily in a 4-3 vote. Residents of the area, including property owner Harvey Senter, voiced opposition to the rezoning at a recent public hearing on the matter. Senter, who owns land

on the north side of the parkway, said he was asked before Patriot Parkway was built to allow his acreage to be zoned Agricultural Conservation to preserve agricultural and rural character of the parkway and to protect Shaw Air Force Base from encroachment. “It’s called a parkway,” he said. “What do you think that means?” In a handout from Senter, he said his family agreed to

the restrictive Agriculture Conservation zoning even though it would “substantially reduce our family’s abilities to one day freely develop our parkway property.” Councilwoman Ione Dwyer spoke against the zoning change, saying homeowners who invested in the neighborhood expected the surrounding properties to remain single family residential.

SEE FIGHT, PAGE A7

Lending Albany a helping hand Sumter residents repay tornado-stricken Georgia town for 2015 assistance BY RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com Donors have filled seven pallets so far after Sumter United Ministries put out a request last week to repay residents of Albany, Georgia, for an act of kindness the community showed to Sumter after the October 2015 flood that devastated the Sumter area. Sumter native Ted Durant, who works at a truck rental company in Albany, filled a trailer full of supplies and brought the truck to Sumter United Ministries to distribute food and supplies after the flood. Gene Durant, Ted’s father, asked Sumter United Ministries if the organization could return the favor after a tornado hit in Albany on Jan. 22. Sumter United Ministries Executive Director Mark Champagne agreed to put out a request for their needs. Needs include blankets, sheets, pillows and pillowcases, washcloths and towels, socks, flashlights, cleaning supplies, toiletries, school supplies and pre-packaged food items. Ed Venticinque, crisis relief coordi-

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sumter United Ministries Construction Director Aaron Koenig, left, wraps a pallet on a trailer bound for Albany, Georgia, as SUM Crisis Relief Coordinator Ed Venticinque prepares to move the pallet Tuesday morning. nator for Sumter United Ministries, said some churches are collecting items at their churches, and they will deliver them to the ministry next week. He said the organization plans to load the trailer on Tuesday, Valentine’s Day, and deliver the supplies to Albany on Wednesday or Thursday of

next week. If you’re interested in assisting in the effort, you can take requested items to Sumter United Ministries, 36 Artillery Drive, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or to Bynum Insurance, 1170 Wilson Hall Road.

SCHOOL DISTRICT

Consultant to detail cause of crisis BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com The financial consultant hired by the Sumter School Board last month to decipher its current financial crisis will report to the board Monday at its next regular meeting on what caused the district to spend $6.2 million over budget last year, says the board chairman. Scott Allan was hired by the board four weeks ALLAN ago on Jan. 9 to guide the district through its debt crisis. His first major task has been to analyze the root causes for how the district over-spent by $6.2 million last fiscal year and had an ending general fund balance on June 30, 2016, of $106,449 — a critically lowlevel, according to auditor Robin Poston. Board Chairman the Rev. Daryl McGhaney announced after a board finance committee meeting Monday that Allan will provide his analysis at the board’s next meeting. Allan has said he’s specifically looking at areas that caused the district to go over budget and “60 job positions that caused the most damage in the general fund.” More than 80 percent of the district’s budget consists of salaries and associated benefits for employees, according to board attorney William “Bick” Halligan. Halligan said the percentage is similar for all public school districts in the state.

SEE BOARD, PAGE A8

Military leaders say budget caps are crippling armed forces BY RICHARD LARDNER The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Pleading for a repeal of a law that strictly limits defense spending, a panel of four-star military officers warned lawmakers Tuesday that the fiscal constraints are crippling the military’s ability to respond to threats around the world. Appearing before the House Armed Services Committee, the officers delivered a message that appears to grow grimmer each time it’s delivered. It echoed President Trump who promised to reinvest in a “depleted” military although annual defense spending is more than $600 billion. “You’ve been lacking a little equip-

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President Trump arrives as he is introduced by Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, before speaking to troops while at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, on Monday.

ment, we’re going to load it up. You’re going to get a lot of equipment,” Trump said at Central Command on Monday. Each of the military services have delivered to Congress plans for increasing the 2017 defense budget by more than $30 billion to acquire new jet fighters, armored vehicles, improved training and more. The informal proposals, obtained by The Associated Press, represent the first attempt by Trump’s Defense Department to halt the erosion of the military’s combat readiness. The shortfalls outlined in the documents may provide Trump and the national security

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Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: pressrelease@theitem.com

Hastie to speak at One Sumter group meeting on youth, crime FROM STAFF REPORTS The One Sumter Community Group Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 315 W. Fulton St. The program topic will be youth and crime in the Sumter community. Attorney and Sumter City Councilman Calvin Hastie will be guest speaker for the program. He knows well the number of youth who are entering the court rooms, the jails and the juvenile systems and can share with the community where he sees the problems and what we as a community should do to lock arms to try to save our young people, according to a news release from the organization. After retiring as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Army, Hastie went on to become an attorney and began representing young people in our penal system in Sumter, the release states. He was elected Public Defender of the Year for Juveniles in 2012 for the State of South Carolina, and ran successfully for City Council and become an ordained minister. The public is invited to attend. For more information call Hastie at (803) 774-7776.

CLARIFICATION In Sunday’s edition of The Sumter Item, it was incorrectly written that Sumter County magistrates have civil and criminal cases one to two weeks each month at Sumter County Summary Court. Magistrate judges preside over civil and criminal cases every week, and there are also jury trials for civil and criminal cases at Sumter County Summary Court one to two weeks each month.

If you see a statement in error, contact the City Desk at 774-1226 or pressrelease@theitem.com.

3 charged with attempted murder Suspects reportedly fired shots at 2 homes FROM STAFF REPORTS Sumter Police Department charged three Sumter men with attempted murder on Friday for allegedly firing shots at two homes in the city on Jan. 28. Officers responded to calls in January after suspects reportedly fired shots at a home in the 500 block of Lafayette Drive about 2:45 a.m. and at another home in the 500 block of Silver Street minutes later before fleeing, according to a news release from the police department. The homes were occu-

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pied at the time, but no injuries were reported. An investigation led to the arrests of Willie James Hickman, 19, of 120 Bear St.; Torey Ikeem Shropshire, 20, of 30 Adolf Circle; and Michael Durell Shannon Jr., 17, of 340 Enter St. Shannon also faces a drug charge from Sumter County Sheriff’s Office for reportedly manufacturing or dis-

tributing cocaine base. According to the news release, Hickman is connected to the Silver Street shooting; Shannon and Shropshire are linked to the Lafayette Drive shooting. Tonyia McGirt, public information officer for the police department, said the kind of firearms used are not known at this time. The incidents are considered isolated because the three suspects know one another and are involved in an ongoing dispute with another individual or individuals, McGirt said. All three men are being held without bond at Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center. An investigation is continuing.

County makes way down road repair list BY ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com Sumter County Public Works is making its way down the list of roads included in the 2016 Penny for Progress that need to be paved or resurfaced, starting with the paving of Bar Zee Drive and the resurfacing of roads in Lakewood Subdivision. For 2017, county public works plans to begin work to pave approximately 15 miles and resurface 6.5 miles. County public works Director Eddie Newman said paving on Bar Zee Drive, a road the department has received a lot of calls about, is complete, and a construction crew is now working to pave Mallory Drive in the same area. He said at least two other roads on the list have also been resurfaced. The goal is to have engineering for each road to be paved completed by the end of the year, Newman said. According to the county public works 2017 paving schedule, 22 roads across the county are in the engineering phase. Engineering for nine other roads will begin sometime in June. Newman asks for patience as the county works to com-

Residents living on Bar Zee Drive are benefitting from a newly paved road. RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

plete each project, especially the road pavings. He said more work goes into paving a road because of all the engineering to establish draining and other things. It is difficult to say for sure when each road project will be complete because additional work might come up, Newman said. It could take 30 months to turn a dirt road into a paved road, he said. Newman said resurfacing does not take as long as paving because the roadway and engineering have already been established. One-and-a-half to 2 inches

of asphalt is poured onto a roadway for resurfacing, he said. Newman said the county plans to begin bidding to resurface roads in Dove Meadows Subdivision, McLaughlin Estates and Lee Altman Subdivision in March. Bidding to pave eight other roads in the county will start in March and June. In other news, South Carolina Department of Transportation plans to begin replacing the bridge over Alligator Branch on East Brewington Road on Monday. According to a letter from acting district engineering

administrator Robert Dickinson, the bridge is structurally deficient and will be replaced by a 50-foot prestressed concrete bridge. The letter also states the bridge will be closed for approximately 11 weeks and is anticipated to reopen on April 28, pending unexpected weather and material delays. While the bridge is closed, traffic in the area will be detoured to U.S. 76; Florence Highway; and U.S. 378, Myrtle Beach Highway. DOT estimates that the detour length will be approximately 3.4 miles.

Community forum to encourage open dialogue to reduce violent crime FROM STAFF REPORTS Sumter residents are invited to attend the Safety and Justice Deliberative Dialogue Forum from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at Sumter County Library, 111 N. Harvin St., to discuss the best ways to reduce violent crimes across the county. Barbara Brown, director of Citizens Center for Public Life, said she decided to organize the forum after reading through a national crime report that showed an increase in violent crimes in South Carolina between 2015 and 2016. Citizens Center for Public Life is a nonprofit organization based in Sumter with the aim to encourage healthy communities through deliberative dialogue forums.

A deliberative dialogue forum is different than a town hall because it is based on what the citizens have to say, Brown said. She said the forum will not involve experts telling the citizens what to do but will allow everyone to be on an equal level to speak. The deliberative dialogue will give the public the opportunity to relate discussion topics to their personal experiences, she said. You can hear firsthand how local issues are affecting citizens, she said. This will also be an opportunity for information sharing between citizens and local officials, she said. Brown said she will moderate the forum to make sure everyone gets a chance to talk and a chance to listen.

She said the discussion will take about 2 hours to complete. That time is necessary to get through all the materials, she said. Brown said participants will discuss three options to reduce crime in Sumter: how to enforce the law together; how to apply the law fairly; and how to d-eescalate and reduce violence. She said the options include listing things that citizens and law enforcement can do together to reduce crime; discussing how laws are implemented across the community; and identifying specific issues in the community and how to reduce crime. There are more than two options to prevent a polarizing atmosphere by giving citizens more options to consider, she said.

And, for each option the public will discuss multiple examples of how to accomplish each goal and the consequences that could surface, she said. A free copy of the booklet containing the discussion materials can be downloaded from the National Issues Forums Institute website, nifi.org, under the “order materials” tab. Brown said she will also have copies available at the forum. She said Citizens Center for Public Life is partnered with National Issues Forums Institute to offer the forum. For more information about the Safety and Justice Deliberative Dialogue Forum, contact Barbara Brown at (803) 968-0388.

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Hearing set for men accused of scamming $4M+ from government

Bill that raises $600M for roadwork advancing in House

BY MEG KINNARD The Associated Press

COLUMBIA — A proposal that eventually would pump an additional $600 million annually into fixing South Carolina’s roads advanced Tuesday on a unanimous vote. The latest road-funding plan heading to the full House Ways and Means Committee would raise the state’s 16-cents-per-gallon gas tax to 26 cents per gallon in five years. It would increase the vehicle sales tax cap to $500 and raise the biennial vehicle registration fee by $16. It also creates several fees: a one-time vehicle registration fee for people moving to South Carolina, biennial fees on hybrid and electric vehicles, and a tax on out-of-state truckers. The goal is to ensure all who use South Carolina’s roads help pay for them, said House Majority Leader Gary Simrill, R-Rock Hill. “We’re looking at as many ways as we possibly can to capture outside revenue,” he said. “Because of our lack of action and leadership, we’re further behind than most.” Last week, Department of Transportation Director Christy Hall told a Senate panel that roads have deteriorated so badly, it will take a decade just to climb out of the maintenance hole created over the past five

COLUMBIA — Two men accused of scamming millions of dollars from a project to turn warheads into nuclear reactor fuel are due in South Carolina federal court later this month. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Feb. 27 in the wire fraud and conspiracy case against Phillip Thompson and Aaron Vennefron, according to federal court records. Prosecutors say the men created more than $4 million in fraudulent invoices for work they claimed to have done on the mixed-oxide fuel facility at the Savannah River Site. The multibillion-dollar project is intended to turn weapons-grade plutonium into commercial nuclear reactor fuel. Thompson ran a construction labor business that contracted with the company building the facility at the sprawling federal complex along the South CarolinaGeorgia border. Vennefron worked for an Ohio hardware store and in 2009 allegedly created fake invoices, which he then submitted to Thompson’s company. Government records don’t detail what items were included but said the invoices “appeared to be for legitimate goods needed” for the project that were never actu-

ally provided. A year later, according to prosecutors, Vennefron created a security company “for the sole purpose of submitting false invoices, for non-existent goods,” to Thompson’s company. The government says the scheme went on for more than five years, until the men were indicted in December 2015. During the course of that time, the men received more than $4 million in payments from the government, according to prosecutors. Thompson and Vennefron have pleaded not guilty. They have not filed an official response in court, and their lawyers didn’t immediately return emails seeking comment. The plant’s mission has been to help the U.S. hold up its end of a disarmament deal with Russia under which each country would dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium, the equivalent of about 17,000 nuclear warheads. In October, amid increasingly strained relations between Moscow and Washington, Russian President Putin suspended his end of the agreement, citing the “emerging threat to strategic stability as a result of U.S. unfriendly actions” but saying the deal could be restored if the U.S. pulls back forces deployed near Russia’s borders and revokes anti-Russian sanctions.

years. Roughly $28 billion is still needed in the next 25 years to bring the state’s existing highway system — the nation’s fourth-largest — up to good condition, she said. On Monday, Gov. Henry McMaster sought $5 billion from the federal government to help pay for that. That’s roughly the amount that laws passed in 2013 and last year collectively allow in infrastructure spending during the next decade, largely through borrowing. “It is too much at this time to ask our people to bear this burden alone, heightening fears of increased gas taxes, delay, missed opportunities and decline,” McMaster wrote in his letter to President Trump. The released letter represented McMaster’s first public comments on the road-funding question. But it didn’t answer whether he would veto legislation that includes a gas tax increase — as his predecessor, former Gov. Nikki Haley, vowed throughout her first term. Haley later said she could agree to raise the gas tax — unchanged since 1987 — only if legislators also slashed income taxes and gave the governor full oversight of the DOT. Her veto threat and stipulations made it easy for opponents of increasing the gas tax to block legislation. Simrill, who met with Mc-

Master on Monday, said the new Republican governor “wants to be the person that brings the ball across the finish line” by working with legislators to find consensus, not issue conditions in his own plan. The federal money is welcome but doesn’t provide the long-term funding solution the state needs, said Simrill, who’s led the House’s road-funding effort for several years. “People who are waiting on the federal government usually just get old and tired,” he said. “South Carolina cannot wait on the federal government to take care of our problem.” Supporters at Tuesday’s hearing included representatives of the state’s Trucking Association, Forestry Association and Association of Convenience Stores, as well as the Alliance to Fix Our Roads, a coalition of businesses. Lynn Murray, representing Southeast Toyota, asked the panel to remove the $60 biennial fee for hybrid vehicles. “Hybrids don’t evade fuel taxes,” she said. “We’re paying at the pump.” Marty Coates, representing used car dealers, opposed a simple sales tax cap increase. Since 1984, anyone who pays at least $6,000 for a vehicle, boat or plane in South Carolina pays $300 in sales taxes.

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Some await economic revival in a part of pro-Trump America PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (AP) — She tugged 13 envelopes from a cabinet above the stove, each one labeled with a different debt: the house payment, the student loans, the vacuum cleaner she bought on credit. Lydia Holt and her husband tuck money into these envelopes with each paycheck to whittle away at what they owe. They both earn about $10 an hour. She did the math; at this rate, they’ll be paying these same bills for 87 years. In 2012, Holt voted for Barack Obama because he promised her change, but she feels that change hasn’t reached her here. So last year she chose a presidential candidate unlike any she’d ever seen, the billionaire businessman who promised to help people like her win again. Many of her neighbors did, too — so many that for the first time in more than 30 years, Crawford County, Wisconsin, a sturdy brick in the oncemighty Big Blue Wall, abandoned the Democratic Party, and that wall crumbled. Some 50 counties stretching 300 miles down the Mississippi River — through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois — transformed in one election season into Trump Country. They voted for Trump for an array of reasons, and the list of grievances they hope he now corrects is long and exacting: stagnant wages, the cost of health care, a hard-to-define feeling that things are not getting better, at least not for people like them. Here in Crawford County, residents often recite two facts about their hometown, the first one proudly: It is the second-oldest community in the state. The next is that it’s also one of the poorest. There are no rusted-out factories to embody this discon-

tent. The main street of Prairie du Chien butts up to the Mississippi River and bustles with tourists come summer. Pickup trucks crowd parking lots at the 3M plant and Cabela’s distribution center where hundreds work. Just a few vacant storefronts hint at the seething resentment that life still seems harder here than it should. In this place that astonished America when it helped hand Trump the White House, many of those who chose him greeted the frenetic opening acts of his presidency with a shrug. Immigration is not their top concern, and so they watched with some trepidation as Trump signed orders to build a wall on the Mexican border and bar immigrants from seven Muslim countries, sowing chaos around the world. They are still watching, and they are waiting, their hopes pinned on his promised economic renaissance. Jim Bowman, director of the county’s Economic Development Corporation, says some of the economic anxiety here is based not on measurable decay but rather a perception that life is decaying. There are plenty of jobs, but it’s hard to find one that pays more than $12 an hour. Ambitious young people move away. Rural schools are dwindling and with them a sense of pride and purpose.

EVERY DAY

“If you ask anybody here, we’ll all tell you the same thing: We’re tired of living like this,” said Mark Berns, leaning through the service window in the small-engine repair shop that he can barely keep open anymore. Berns watched Trump’s first days in office half-hopeful, halffrightened. He bemoaned what he described as Trump’s quantity-over-quality, “sign, sign, sign” approach to governing. “I just hope we get the jobs back and the economy on its feet so everybody can get a decent job and make a decent living and have that chance at the American dream that’s gone away over the past eight or 10 years. I’m still optimistic,” he said, sighing. “I hope I’m not

wrong.” Marlene Kramer is also optimistic Trump will make good on his promises. Her priority is health care. Kramer, who voted twice for Obama, used to watch Trump on “Celebrity Apprentice.” “I said to myself, ‘Ugh, I can’t stand him.’” When he announced his candidacy, she thought it was a joke. “Then my husband said to me, ‘Just think, everything he touches seems to turn to money.’” And she changed her mind. She’s 54, and she’s worked since she was 14, all hard jobs: feeding cows, standing all day on factory floors. Now she works at a sewing shop, where she’s happy and gets to sit. But there’s no health insurance.

Kramer said she’s glad the Affordable Care Act has helped millions get insurance, but it hasn’t helped her. She and her husband were stunned to find premiums more than $1,000 a month. They opted to pay the penalty of $2,000 until Trump, she hopes, keeps his promise to replace the law with something better. Across town, Robbo Coleman leaned over the bar he tends and described a similar political about-face. He held up a pen, wrapped in plastic stamped “Made in China.” “I don’t see why we can’t make pens in Prairie du Chien or in Louisville, Kentucky, or in Alabama or wherever,” Coleman said.

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Marlene Kramer stands for the national anthem while watching her stepdaughter cheerlead at a high school wrestling meet in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, on Thursday. Kramer, who voted twice for Obama, used to watch Trump on “Celebrity Apprentice.” “I said to myself, ugh, I can’t stand him.” And when he announced his candidacy, she thought it was a joke. “Then my husband said to me, ‘Just think, everything he touches seems to turn to money,’” she said, and she changed her mind.

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Pence breaks tie as Senate confirms DeVos for Education post WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Tuesday confirmed school choice advocate Betsy DeVos as Education secretary by the narrowest of margins, with Vice President Pence breaking a 50-50 tie in a historic vote. Two Republicans joined Democrats in the unsuccessful effort to derail the nomination of the wealthy Republican donor. The Senate historian said Pence’s vote was the first by a vice president to break a tie on a Cabinet nomination. Democrats cited her lack of public DEVOS school experience and financial interests in organizations pushing charter schools. DeVos has said she would divest herself from those organizations. Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska fear that DeVos’ focus on charter schools will undermine remote public schools in their states. Despite the win, DeVos emerges bruised from the highly divisive nomination process. She has faced criticism, even ridicule for her stumbles and confusion during her confirmation hearing and scathing criticism from teachers unions and civil rights activists over her support of charter schools and her conservative religious ideology. President Trump accused Democrats of seeking to torpedo education progress. In a tweet before the vote, he wrote “Betsy DeVos is a reformer, and she is going to be a great Education Sec. for our kids!” Pence

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This image from video, provided by Senate Television, shows Vice President Pence presiding over the Senate on Tuesday on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. tweeted later in the day that supporting DeVos was “a vote for every child having a chance at a world-class education.” Devos, 59, is the wife of Dick DeVos, the heir to the Amway marketing fortune. She has spent more than two decades promoting charter schools and publicly funded voucher programs for private schools in her home state of Michigan and in other states. Democrats were quick to denounce the confirmation. “President Trump’s swamp got a new billionaire today,” the Democratic National Committee said in a statement. “Millions of teachers, parents and students could not have made their opposition to Betsy DeVos’ confirmation any clearer — they do not want someone whose only education experi-

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ence is dismantling public schools.” Sen. Patty Murray of Washington state, the top Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, vowed to continue championing quality public education in America. “We may not have won this fight today, but people across the country have stood up and made their voices heard on the importance of strong public education in America, and we are not going to stand down.” DeVos supporters, however, saw her confirmation as an occasion to breathe new life into troubled American school system and a chance to shift power from Washington to the local level. “She has been a leader in the movement for public charter schools — the most successful

reform of public education during the last 30 years,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the education committee. “And she has worked tirelessly to help low-income children have more choices of better schools.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said DeVos will seek to empower states, not federal bureaucrats, to make important education decisions. “I know that she is committed to improving our education system so that every child — every child — has a brighter future,” McConnell said ahead of the vote. Emotions ran high ahead of the vote as constituents jammed senators’ phone lines with calls and protesters gathered outside the Capitol, including one person in a grizzly bear costume to

ridicule DeVos’ comment during her confirmation hearing that some schools might want guns to protect against grizzlies. Her opponents also charge that DeVos has no experience to run public schools, having never attended one or sent her children to a public school. DeVos has provided few details about her policy agenda. She will have to weigh in on the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act and possibly undo some of the previous administration’s regulation initiatives on school accountability and spending, which have been criticized by Republicans as federal overreach. Rules on such things as accountability already have been on hold. She will have to address several hot-button issues in higher education, such as rising tuition costs, growing student debt and the troubled for-profit colleges, many of which have closed down, leaving students with huge loans and without a good education or job prospects.

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Analysis: Trump paints dark picture in defense of travel ban BY JULIE PACE AP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON — The more Donald Trump tries to build support for his refugee and immigration ban, the darker the world seems to get. In defending his policies barring refugees and curbing immigration, the president is painting an increasingly ominous picture of the danger posed by Islamic extremists. In his speeches, tweets and an imposing new tally of what Trump calls an unreported “genocide” by the Islamic State group, he has raised the prospect of imminent attacks on the United States and cast the debate over safety as a clash between radical Islam and the West. To Trump’s supporters, the president’s dark warnings show that he has a clear-eyed view of the terror threat facing the U.S. — a threat they believe Barack Obama downplayed. Trump’s critics fear he is hyping one threat at the expense of others. Islamic extremism is “an enemy that celebrates death and totally worships destruction,” Trump said Monday while visiting the headquarters of the military’s Central Command.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

People stand near the entrance of Crossroads Center mall in St. Cloud, Minnesota, as officials investigate a reported multiple stabbing incident in September 2016. Wearing a security guard uniform, 20-year-old Dahir Ahmed Adan stabbed and wounded 10 people before an off-duty officer fatally shot him. After the attacks, an Islamic State-run news agency claimed Adan, who was Somali-American, was a “soldier of the Islamic State.” The list his administration is circulating highlights the debate. The White House points to the 78 incidents as evidence that the news

FIGHT FROM PAGE A1 across the street from a property to speak,” he said. In earlier action, an ordinance amending the city’s sign regulations to allow offpremise directional signs in all zoning districts failed to pass when nobody seconded motions for or against the proposal. During the public comment session, Earl McLeod Jr., executive director of the from the Building Industry Associ-

“This doesn’t give the neighbors the security they thought they would have,” she said. Councilmen Thomas “Bubba” Lowery, Steve Corley and Ione Dwyer voted against the first reading, while councilmen David Merchant, Calvin Hastie, Bob Galiano and Mayor Joe McElveen voted in favor. During the public comment portion of the meeting, Senter attempted to speak, but he was denied the opportunity. McElveen told Senter the public comments segment of the meeting was only open to city residents. After the meeting, Senter, who has been extensively lobbying council members against the rezoning ordinance, said he was very surprised by the vote. “We are not through yet,” he said. Senter maintains that allowing a multi-family type project in the area would go against promises made by past city and county administrators to keep Patriot Parkway a low-density area. He was also critical of council’s public comment policy. “It is disappointing to have members of council to not even allow a person who lives

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media are intentionally downplaying the dangers of the Islamic State group. “Most” incidents on the list haven’t received sufficient attention,

ation said he had hoped to offer changes to the ordinance but was not given the opportunity. Council also passed the first reading of an ordinance to transfer the city’s ownership portion of the Wise Drive Spec Building at 1585 N. Wise Drive to Sumter County. General Counsel Eric Shytle said the transfer was requested by the county to make negotiations with potential tenants “cleaner and easier.”

the White House says. Trump’s terror list, however, focuses only on attacks the White House says were “executed or inspired by” the Islamic State. Terrorism carried out in the name of other causes didn’t make the list. For example, Trump’s list does not include violence by Boko Haram, an Islamist insurgent group operating in West Africa that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2015. It is responsible for far more deaths than IS, including suicide bombings, mass shootings and massacres of civilians in Nigeria and neighboring countries. The White House list also leaves off last month’s attack on a mosque in Quebec, where six Muslim men were shot and killed. A French Canadian man known for far-right, nationalist views has been charged and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called it an act of terrorism against Muslims.

MORE TO THE STORY Read on at theitem.com.

He told council the city would still be able to participate in decisions involving the property. During council reports, McElveen said Sumter Economic Development Board has seen “considerable activity.” “Look for an announcement in the next few months,” he said. Hastie invited the public to a One Sumter meeting at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 325 W. Fulton St., which will

focus on youth and crime. Previously, council approved a procurement resolution authorizing a contract for renovation of the Police Firing Range and approved a mutual aid agreement between Sumter Police Department and Camden Police Department. In addition, council approved maintenance agreements for Heritage Bay Subdivision Phase 4; Pocalla Springs Subdivision Phase IV, Section 2; and Stafford Meadows Phase III.

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BOARD FROM PAGE A1 Allan said he’s currently looking into job positions that were unbudgeted for and the history of the approval process for how they got through the human resources department and onto payroll. He told the board at its last meeting, Jan. 23, that it’s not a simple process though, because it varies and some positions have been in place for a while that were not budgeted. Allan’s work has required him to go through many steps, meet with district staff members from several

departments and sort through extensive paperwork, he said. Allan said earlier the district finance department’s software, SmartFusion’s Budget Prep, is fine, the majority of districts in the state use it, but it takes work to maintain and it must be fully utilized to help provide proper payroll analysis. According to Allan and Halligan, a particular SmartFusion application, Position Control, is starting to be implemented now by district staff to help control

CAPS FROM PAGE A1

my’s vice chief of staff, told the panel that only three of the Army’s more than 50 brigade combat teams have all the troops, training and equipment needed to fight at a moment’s notice. Portions of the plans will likely be included in the formal supplemental budget for 2017 that the Trump administration is sending to Capitol Hill soon. The Marine Corps, arguing for a $4.2 billion boost to its 2017 budget, warned that the “nation’s force in readiness” will have to continue shifting

hawks in Congress with a powerful incentive to strike the caps on military spending. Adm. William Moran, the vice chief of naval operations, says more than half of all Navy aircraft are grounded because they’re awaiting maintenance or lack needed spare parts. The figure is even higher for the service’s front line F/A-18 fighter jets, according to Moran. Gen. Daniel Allyn, the Ar-

payroll and prevent users from over-budgeting positions. Halligan said Allan is training district staff now on full use of Position Control now. McGhaney said Allan will also update the board Monday on how particular cashpreservation measures are affecting cash flow, such as the reduction of stipends and freezes to various budget line items, such as supply budgets and substitute budgets. Monday’s school board meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at Wilder Elementary School, 975 S. Main St. The board meeting is open to the public and public participa-

money intended for new weapons to pay current bills. “As near-peer competitors probe the limits of American retrenchment and the operational environment grows more complex, the Marine Corps of today is largely optimized for the past and sacrificing modernization to sustain current readiness,” the service’s budget amendment reads.

MORE TO THE STORY Read on at theitem.com.

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

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Minimum wage and discrimination T

here is little question in most academic research that increases in the minimum wage lead to increases in unemployment. The debatable issue is the magnitude of the increase. An issue not often included in minimum wage debates is the substitution effects of minimum wage increases. The substitution effect might explain why Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, a national network of business owners and executives, argues for higher minimum wages. Let’s look at substitution effects in general. When the price of anything rises, people seek substitutes and measures to economize. When gasoline prices rise, people seek to economize on the usage of gas by buying smaller cars. If the price of sugar rises, people seek cheaper sugar substitutes. If prices of goods in one store rise, people search for other stores. This last example helps explain why some businessmen support higher minimum wages. If they could impose higher labor costs on their less efficient competition, it might help drive them out of business. That would enable firms that survive to charge higher prices and earn greater profits. There’s a more insidious substitu-

COMMENTARY

tion effect of higher minimum wages. You see it by putting yourself in the place of a businessman who has to pay at least the minimum wage to anyone he hires. Say that you are hiring Walter typists. There are Williams some who can type 40 words per minute and others, equal in every other respect, who can type 80 words per minute. Whom would you hire? I’m guessing you’d hire the more highly skilled. Thus, one effect of the minimum wage is discrimination against the employment of lower-skilled workers. In some places, the minimum wage is $15 an hour. But if a lower-skilled worker could offer to work for, say, $8 an hour, you might hire him. In addition to discrimination against lower-skilled workers, the minimum wage denies them the chance of sharpening their skills and ultimately earning higher wages. The most effective form of training for most of us is on-the-job training. An even more insidious substitu-

tion effect of minimum wages can be seen from a few quotations. During South Africa’s apartheid era, racist unions, which would never accept a black member, were the major supporters of minimum wages for blacks. In 1925, the South African Economic and Wage Commission said, “The method would be to fix a minimum rate for an occupation or craft so high that no Native would be likely to be employed.” Gert Beetge, secretary of the racist Building Workers’ Union, complained, “There is no job reservation left in the building industry, and in the circumstances, I support the rate for the job (minimum wage) as the second-best way of protecting our white artisans.” “Equal pay for equal work” became the rallying slogan of the South African white labor movement. These laborers knew that if employers were forced to pay black workers the same wages as white workers, there’d be reduced incentive to hire blacks. South Africans were not alone in their minimum wage conspiracy against blacks. After a bitter 1909 strike by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen in the U.S., an arbitration board decreed that

blacks and whites were to be paid equal wages. Union members expressed their delight, saying, “If this course of action is followed by the company and the incentive for employing the Negro thus removed, the strike will not have been in vain.” Our nation’s first minimum wage law, the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931, had racist motivation. During its legislative debate, its congressional supporters made such statements as, “That contractor has cheap colored labor that he transports, and he puts them in cabins, and it is labor of that sort that is in competition with white labor throughout the country.” During hearings, American Federation of Labor President William Green complained, “Colored labor is being sought to demoralize wage rates.” Today’s stated intentions behind the support of minimum wages are nothing like yesteryear’s. However, intentions are irrelevant. In the name of decency, we must examine the effects. Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. To find out more about Walter E. Williams, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com. © 2017 creators.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR DISTRICT’S OVERSPENDING ISN’T THE FAULT OF COUNCIL Will wonders ever cease? I knew it wouldn’t be long before Sumter County Council was blamed for the Sumter School District’s $6.2 million budget deficit. I am aware of some typical defense mechanisms (denial, projection, blaming, etc.) that people use when they don’t want to take responsibility for their actions. Let’s do away with alternative facts and be truthful. The Sumter School District Board of Trustees is responsible for the 2015-2016 fiscal year budget deficit. It appears that the superintendent failed to inform the board of unbudgeted expenditures, which prevented them from making timely adjustments during the budget cycle. Although the board gave the superintendent the authority to manage the budget, this didn’t relieve them of their fiscal responsibility. You can delegate authority but not responsibility. As a member of Sumter County Council, I resent people blaming county council for not providing adequate financial support to the Sumter School District. Before the consolidation of school districts 17 and 2, county council, since my election to county council in 2004, always provided the financial support requested by each district. After consolidation, the combined school district started with a budget deficit because of inadequate financial oversight during the transition period. Although Mr. Bynum, the new superintendent, inherited a budget deficit, he was frequently criticized for incompetent financial management. His request for assistance in 2012 was met with strong opposition from the Sumter business community and the Republican Party. However, when he resigned from the school district, the budget was balanced with more than $2 million in the reserve fund. The school district didn’t request funds in 2014. When Mr. Steve Mann, the school district’s director of finance, departed, the budget was balanced with no foreseeable shortages. When informed of the school district’s deficit, he said he was shocked. Conversely, the budget deficit wasn’t due to lack of support from county council. It’s the result of inadequate fiscal oversight and

management by board members and the superintendent. We must not allow the degeneration of STEM education. It’s essential to future economic development in Sumter County. EUGENE R. BATEN Sumter County Council, District 7

TRUMP IS DOING WHAT HE PROMISED HE WOULD DO So, President Trump has been president for two weeks now. And, in general, the Democrats have gone stupid. Which means he is doing exactly what he said he would do. And the Democrats are slowly being laughed out of D.C. Your “duly elected” Democrat senators have seen fit to not attend confirmation hearings. They are “protesting.” What they are really mad about is that the “rules” they made eight years ago are coming back to bite them in the rear end. They are mad because all of Trump’s nominees are being confirmed, and they can do nothing to stop them. So rather than try, they sit home sucking their thumbs, crying like infants because the American people are ignoring them. Where do I begin with the mainstream media? Nothing has changed, except that CNN has been outed as “fake news.” Not really a surprise there. Fox News always says “we report, you decide.” CNN’s might as well be “we decide how we report.” And if you don’t think that they are all on the Democrat side, go look on YouTube as each one reported the moment they declared Trump the winner. Two different “issues” have now become related. One being the “transgender” issue, and the other being the “women’s rights” issue. Being a man, I keep my opinion about women’s rights to myself. However, something has me very confused. Katie Couric was on the “Ellen” show. On one hand she says “a female fetus could feel male,” indicating transgender issues. On the other hand, she is pro-choice and an abortion sympathizer. I think what she was trying to tell the liberal women was “life begins at conception, because a fetus can feel. But reserve the right to abort your pregnancy if it interferes with your social life.” I think I’m starting to understand Democrat logic. Nothing a good dose of ExLax can’t cure. DENNIS VICKERS Wedgefield

EDITORIAL ROUNDUP Recent editorials from South Carolina newspapers:

The Post and Courier Jan. 31

S.C.’S HIGHWAY FATALITY RATE AND IMPROVING ROAD CONDITIONS: South Carolina has the highest highway fatality rate in the nation, and some of its worst roads. It’s only logical that the state Department of Transportation turns its focus to the rural roads on which most of those deadly accidents occur. The DOT wants to allocate $50 million annually to address the problem with a variety of improvements, including wider shoulders, raised pavement markings, roadside rumble strips, highly reflective signs, guardrails and the relocation of drainage ditches. Of course, paving also will provide for road safety, and the hazardous situation should get the Legislature’s attention as it looks to increase the state gas tax so that long overdue improvements can be made. The gas tax was last increased in 1987 and is among the lowest in the nation. The DOT will also look at wider “clear zones” adjacent to roadways, which usually means cutting roadside trees. It should do so selectively, recognizing that there are safety alternatives for scenic roads. Secretary of Transportation Christy Hall’s plan includes improvements to interstates, as well as prima-

ry and secondary roads throughout rural South Carolina. Roadway shortcomings are part of the problem, but highway safety is also diminished by drivers who speed, drive aggressively, don’t wear seat belts and are otherwise distracted when they should be keeping their eyes on the road. That’s why an initiative headed by the state Department of Public Safety should complement the DOT plan. State troopers will increase enforcement for dangerous driving including “speed, following too closely and distracted driving behaviors such as texting and driving,” according to a DPS spokesman. With a fatality rate that is 53 percent higher than the national average, both initiatives are welcome. And so would a gas tax increase to further provide for improvements to deteriorating South Carolina highways. Online: http://www.postandcourier.com/

The Herald Jan. 31

STATE LEGISLATION REGARDING THE CONFEDERATE FLAG: York County Clerk of Court David Hamilton had the right idea, we think, in choosing to remove a Confederate flag and other Civil War memorabilia from the courtroom in the county courthouse before the celebration of its grand reopen-

ing Sunday. But when questions arose about the legality of removing the flag under the South Carolina Heritage Act, Hamilton had little choice but to comply with state rules. Ultimately, though, we think the only fair and lasting solution is to change to Heritage Act to allow local jurisdictions more control over historical monuments and memorials. We understand that many of the old statues, plaques and place names genuinely reflect the state’s heritage and are a part of South Carolina’s historical landscape. A wholesale attempt to change every plaque or demolish every statue of a Confederate soldier would be a misguided and futile attempt to erase history. But there is no rationale that justifies a Confederate flag — a symbol of racial injustice and hatred for many — hanging in a county courtroom. We commend Hamilton’s instincts in using the occasion of the courthouse reopening as an opportunity to move the flag to a different, more appropriate location in the courthouse. Regardless of the Heritage Act, that was the right thing to do. We realize that Hamilton must comply with the law. But we hope the attorney general will find legal grounds to allow the flag to be moved. The Legislature needs to defer to the judgment of residents regarding the fate of local memorials and monuments in their own backyards. Online: http://www.heraldonline. com

A10

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017

AROUND TOWN vided within their coverVolunteers from AARP will age area. Contact Debra offer free tax preparation Do you need help preparing your Canty, chapter president, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on taxes? at (803) 775-5792 or debra. Mondays and Wednesdays canty@frontier.com. Donathrough April 12 at the tions are welcome and can Shepherd’s Center, 24 be mailed to NFB Sumter Council St. Applicants are Chapter, P.O. Box 641, advised to bring the folSumter, SC 29151. lowing with them: photo ID; Social Security cards The Sumter County Chapter for all household members of AARP will meet at 3 p.m. being claimed; tax docuon Thursday, Feb. 16, at ments — W-2 forms, 1099R, Sumter Senior Services 1099SSA, interest income Center, 119 S. Sumter St. and all other income All persons age 55 or older statements; 2015 tax reare invited. Call Johnny turns and power of attorJones at (803) 773-9681. ney forms if filing for The American Red Cross is in someone other than yoururgent need of blood donaself. For more information, tions and will hold blood call Henry Dinkins at (803) drives as follows: 2-7 p.m. 499-4990 or Lula King at Thursday, Feb. 23, Grace (803) 316-0772. Baptist Church, 219 W. CalThe Mary McLeod Bethune houn St.; 8 a.m.-1 p.m. SatSection of the National Counurday, Feb. 25, High Hills cil of Negro Women will hold AME Church, 6780 Meeting its annual commemorative House Road, Dalzell; and 9 black history meeting at 5 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday, p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, at Feb. 27, Thomas Sumter the South Sumter ReAcademy, 5365 Camden source Center, 337 ManHighway, Dalzell. Downning Ave. Call Miranda load the Red Cross Blood Choice at (803) 651-8540. Donor App, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call “A Night to Remember” Val1-800-RED CROSS (1-800entine gala will be held at 5 733-2767). p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at Taw Caw Outreach The Sumter Branch NAACP’s Community Center, 1126 annual black history program Granby Lane, Summerton. will be held at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26, at Trinity The Sumter SPCA Valentine Missionary Baptist Church, Dance will be held from 7 155 Wall St. The Rev. Napoto 11 p.m. on Saturday, leon A. Bradford will Feb. 11, at the Elaine D. speak. Korn Memorial Center, 1100 S. Guignard Drive. The 17th Annual Cavalier Music will be provided by Pride Auction will be held Terence Lonon & the Unon Saturday, March 18, at touchables. Cost is $25 per Robert E. Lee Academy in person (must be 21 years Bishopville. Food will be or older) and all proceeds served from 5 to 7 p.m. benefit the Sumter SPCA. Bidding will begin at 5:30 Call (803) 773-9292. p.m. with the first table closing at 7 p.m. Tickets Adults, did you attend Cathoare $15 in advance or $20 lic school in Sumter? All forat the door. Call the mer St. Joseph, St. Jude, school office at (803) 484St. Anne, Sumter Catholic 5532 for more information. and St. Francis Xavier students are invited to an The Rembert Area Communiadult meet and greet from ty Coalition’s 5th Annual 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, Spring Parade will be held in the Iris Room at Central from 10 a.m. to noon on Carolina Health Sciences Saturday, April 8. The paCenter, 133 S. Main St., rade will begin at the Sumter. Refreshments will Rembert Community Car be served. Please R.S.V.P Wash and continue onto to catholicschoolsofsumLee Street, along Young ter@gmail.com or the St. Street, down McLeod ChaAnne and St. Jude Catholic pel Road, down Pisgah School office at (803) 775Road, onto U.S. 521 and 3632. end at 8420 Camden Highway. The parade will be The Sumter Chapter of the followed by a family and National Federation of the friends event until 3 p.m. Blind of South Carolina will There will be food, bevermeet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at Shiloh-Randolph ages, live music and entertainment and more. Manor, 125 W. Bartlette St. Participation, sponsorship The presiders for the “Valand vendor forms are entine’s Evening of Eleavailable on the RACC gance Date Night” will be website under “News & Lee and Laura ColcloughJames. Transportation pro- Events.”

DAILY PLANNER

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEATHER

AccuWeather® ﬁve-day forecast for Sumter TODAY

TONIGHT

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Warm with clouds and sun

Cloudy, mild; a t-storm late

Mainly cloudy; breezy, cooler

Partly sunny

Pleasant and warmer

Times of clouds and sun

74°

57°

61° / 28°

55° / 39°

73° / 53°

79° / 55°

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 55%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 0%

Chance of rain: 5%

Chance of rain: 10%

W 7-14 mph

SW 8-16 mph

WNW 10-20 mph

S 4-8 mph

SW 8-16 mph

WSW 8-16 mph

TODAY’S SOUTH CAROLINA WEATHER

Gaﬀney 70/47 Spartanburg 71/48

Greenville 73/49

Columbia 76/56

Temperatures shown on map are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

IN THE MOUNTAINS

Sumter 74/57

Aiken 72/53

ON THE COAST

Charleston 76/60

Today: Mostly cloudy; a shower or thunderstorm. High 68 to 75. Thursday: Cloudy and breezy; a little rain in northern parts. High 60 to 64.

LOCAL ALMANAC

LAKE LEVELS

SUMTER THROUGH 4 P.M. YESTERDAY

Today Hi/Lo/W 72/41/c 30/11/sn 79/39/s 35/18/c 87/54/pc 70/59/pc 77/57/c 61/32/pc 84/68/t 63/33/pc 77/57/pc 64/58/c 67/35/pc

SUN AND MOON 7 a.m. yest. 356.79 75.05 74.93 98.33

24-hr chg none -0.07 -0.10 +0.06

RIVER STAGES River Black River Congaree River Lynches River Saluda River Up. Santee River Wateree River

0.00" 0.11" 0.84" 4.65" 5.32" 4.78"

NATIONAL CITIES City Atlanta Chicago Dallas Detroit Houston Los Angeles New Orleans New York Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix San Francisco Wash., DC

Full pool 360 76.8 75.5 100

Lake Murray Marion Moultrie Wateree

76° 47° 57° 34° 76° in 2017 16° in 1978

Precipitation 24 hrs ending 4 p.m. yest. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 53/28/pc 22/16/s 63/47/pc 24/14/sn 72/50/s 76/60/pc 65/47/pc 33/18/sn 79/47/pc 35/19/sn 83/59/pc 63/53/r 40/23/sn

Myrtle Beach 71/59

Manning 72/55

Today: Very warm with clouds and sun. Winds west-southwest 4-8 mph. Thursday: Times of clouds and sun. Winds northwest 10-20 mph.

Temperature High Low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Florence 75/58

Bishopville 71/55

Flood 7 a.m. 24-hr stage yest. chg 12 8.67 -0.15 19 3.10 -0.30 14 5.82 -0.10 14 2.81 +0.68 80 76.49 none 24 4.74 -0.06

Sunrise 7:13 a.m. Moonrise 3:50 p.m.

Sunset Moonset

5:59 p.m. 5:07 a.m.

Full

Last

New

First

Feb. 10

Feb. 18

Feb. 26

Mar. 5

TIDES AT MYRTLE BEACH

Today Thu.

High 6:42 a.m. 7:07 p.m. 7:37 a.m. 8:01 p.m.

Ht. 3.3 2.9 3.4 3.0

Low 12:55 a.m. 1:43 p.m. 1:51 a.m. 2:35 p.m.

Ht. -0.7 -0.4 -0.8 -0.5

REGIONAL CITIES City Asheville Athens Augusta Beaufort Cape Hatteras Charleston Charlotte Clemson Columbia Darlington Elizabeth City Elizabethtown Fayetteville

Today Hi/Lo/W 69/36/c 73/46/pc 75/55/pc 74/59/t 66/57/pc 76/60/t 74/51/pc 74/50/pc 76/56/pc 71/56/pc 71/53/r 71/56/pc 76/58/pc

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 41/20/c 54/26/pc 61/28/c 64/34/c 58/30/r 64/32/c 54/23/c 59/30/pc 60/28/c 59/27/c 55/24/r 58/27/r 60/26/c

Today City Hi/Lo/W Florence 75/58/pc Gainesville 79/65/t Gastonia 73/50/pc Goldsboro 75/56/pc Goose Creek 75/58/t Greensboro 72/49/pc Greenville 73/49/pc Hickory 71/48/pc Hilton Head 73/56/t Jacksonville, FL 79/64/t La Grange 74/45/c Macon 73/48/pc Marietta 71/38/c

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 61/27/c 74/38/c 55/25/c 59/25/r 64/32/c 50/22/c 55/26/pc 49/24/c 62/32/c 72/37/c 54/28/pc 57/28/pc 50/26/pc

Today City Hi/Lo/W Marion 72/45/c Mt. Pleasant 75/58/t Myrtle Beach 71/59/c Orangeburg 72/55/pc Port Royal 71/57/t Raleigh 73/54/pc Rock Hill 74/49/pc Rockingham 71/54/pc Savannah 75/60/t Spartanburg 71/48/pc Summerville 75/58/t Wilmington 73/58/pc Winston-Salem 72/48/pc

Thu. Hi/Lo/W 53/20/c 64/32/c 63/30/r 60/30/c 62/35/c 55/23/c 52/23/c 60/23/c 63/34/c 55/26/c 63/32/c 59/27/r 50/22/c

Weather(W): s–sunny, pc–partly cloudy, c–cloudy, sh–showers, t–thunderstorms, r–rain, sf–snow ﬂurries, sn–snow, i–ice

Brown’s

“Where Quality Matters”

FURNITURE & BEDDING

PUBLIC AGENDA SUMTER COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION / ELECTION COMMISSION Thursday, 5:30 p.m., registration / election office, 141 N. Main St.

Fall In Love with our New Styles!

31 West Wesmark Blvd • Sumter, SC ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t expect EUGENIA LAST a smooth transition to take place regarding work or dealing with partners. Use intelligence to help you decide what’s best. If you act on impulse or let your emotions get in the way of sound judgment, you will have regrets.

The last word in astrology

offer physical help rather than financial. Protect your possessions. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It’s out with the old and in with the new. It’s up to you to enforce changes in your life that will bring you the happiness you are searching for. Don’t settle for less when you can have so much more.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Check out the way other people do things TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Control or the lifestyles that would suit you best. There is always room for your emotions and keep your private affairs a secret. Do what you improvement, and if you set do best, but don’t boast about your reasonable goals, you will have no attributes or your achievements. A trouble turning your dreams into a reserved approach to whatever you reality. Follow your heart. do will get you much further SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): ahead. You can accomplish a lot if you work from home. Setting up GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Settle down. Know what you want and conference calls or discussing plans don’t let it get away. Make positive with someone you look up to will changes that will improve your life allow you to reach an outcome that and help you reach your goals. benefits everyone around you. Don’t feel the need to overspend CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): just to impress someone. Offering Personal situations could get blown affection should be sufficient. out of proportion. Limit emotional CANCER (June 21-July 22): You’ll be confrontations and avoid getting tempted to make impulsive involved in joint ventures that put decisions or changes based on an too much responsibility on you. emotional situation or assumption. Maintaining balance in all aspects Step away from whatever is going of your life will be important. on until you get a clear picture of AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Get what’s actually taking place. Avoid moving. Put everything you’ve got interference. into reaching your goal. Set a high LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t give in standard and prove that you are to someone who is trying to bully or pressure you into something you capable of anything you set your mind to. Celebrate your life, laugh don’t want to do. Use your charm and be happy. and intelligence to encourage others to let you do things your way. Travel will lead to new beginnings.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Work quietly toward your goals. Don’t make an impulsive decision based VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Put more on only a few facts. Time is on your energy into the causes or concerns side, and keeping perfection in mind will be in your best interest. that matter to you. Your input will Use intelligence, not muscle, to get be appreciated when it comes to making a cash donation. Try to what you want.

774-2100

SUMTER ANIMAL CONTROL PET OF THE WEEK Mallie is a young, small girl who likes everyone. Good-natured Mallie is looking for a forever home. Won’t you come meet this sweetGood-natured girl in kennel 27Mallie at Sumter Animal needs a forever home Control, 1240 Winkles Road, (803) 4362066. Thank you for considering a homeless dog. To view more lost / found / adoptable dogs, please visit Sumter Animal Control on Facebook.

HAVE YOU TAKEN PICTURES OF INTERESTING, EXCITING, BEAUTIFUL OR HISTORICAL PLACES? Would you like to share those images with your fellow Sumter Item readers? E-mail your hi-resolution jpegs to sandra@theitem.com, or mail to Sandra Holbert c/o The Sumter Item, P.O. Box 1677, Sumter, SC 29150. Include clearly printed or typed name of photographer and photo details. Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return of your photo. Amateur photographers only please. Photos of poor reproduction quality may not publish. With the exception of pictures that are of a timely nature, submitted photos will publish in the order in which they are received.

SECTION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017 Call: (803) 774-1241 | E-mail: sports@theitem.com

PREP BASKETBALL

SHS’ region repeat Sumter never trails in 72-52 win over Socastee as Gamecocks secure title

Lady Gators beat L-E, secure playoff berth BY EDDIE LITAKER Special to The Sumter Item

BY DENNIS BRUNSON dennis@theitem.com

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

Lakewood’s varsity girls basketball team overcame an up-and-down outing to post a 45-32 Region VI-4A victory over Lugoff-Elgin on Tuesday at The Swamp. With the win, the Lady Gators also secured a berth to the state playoffs, likely as the region’s No. 4 seed. Lakewood holds a 2-5 region record heading into its final region game at home on Thursday against Darlington. The Lady Gators played well in spurts, but still had many lulls and gaps between their points at times. A 12-2 start was reduced to a 13-7 lead at the end of the opening quarter, with the Lady Demons pulling within three, 13-10, before consecutive threes from Ki’Ari Cain and Lashala Harvin broke a nearly four-minute scoreless skein. The lead was six, 21-15, at the half before Lakewood scored the first nine points of the second half, extending an 11-0 run that briefly doubled up Lugoff-Elgin, 30-15. The Lady Demons scored the final five points of the third quarter and extended the run to 7-0 with a Brooke Grant runner that cut the lead to eight, 30-22. Once again it was Cain who hit a three to get Lakewood back up by double digits. Lugoff-Elgin would pull within eight one final time, 35-27, after two free throws from Alyssa Weems with 5:56 to go. Three free throws and a low-post bucket from Cain, who scored 12 of her game-high 25 points in the final quarter, pushed the lead back to 13 and the Lady Demons got no closer the rest of the way.

Sumter’s Jaylenn Corbett (22) goes in for a layup in the Gamecocks’ 75-52 victory over Socastte on Tuesday at the SHS gymnasium. Sumter won the Region VI-5A SEE REPEAT, PAGE B3 championship with the triumph.

SEE GATORS, PAGE B2

It was Senior Night for the Sumter High School varsity boys basketball team on Tuesday at the Sumter gymnasium. And that’s a very big deal for the Gamecocks since they carry nine seniors on their 16-man roster. There was much more on the line against Socastee though than closing the seniors’ regular-season careers out with a victory. A win for Sumter meant the Region VI-5A championship and three home games in the state playoffs, which begin next week. Sumter scored the game’s first four points and never trailed, taking complete control of the game in the second quarter. The Gamecocks went on to a 75-52 victory that gave them their second straight region crown. Coming off an emotional 61-52 victory over West Florence on Friday that gave Sumter the chance to win the region title outright, Sumter head coach Shawn Jones was pleased with his team’s start. “We came out ready to play and I’m proud of them for that,” said Jones, whose team improved to 17-6 overall and finished 9-1 in the region. “They knew what was at stake and they came out focused.” The Gamecocks’ intentions were

USC MEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 19 Gamecocks succumb to Crimson Tide in 4 OTs BY PETE IACOBELLI AP Sports Writer COLUMBIA — Riley Norris scored six of his 11 points in the fourth and final overtime, including the goahead free throws with 56 seconds left, and Alabama finally put away No. 19 South Carolina 90-86 on Tuesday night, overcoming a career night by Gamecocks star Sindarius Thornwell. Thornwell finished with career highs of 44 points and 21 rebounds. He made 25 free throws, surpassing LSU great “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s mark of 21 in a Southeastern Conference game. But it was not enough for

South Carolina (19-5, 9-2). Alabama (14-9, 7-4) had a 17-point lead in the first half and a 12-point edge with less than 5 minutes to go, watching the Gamecocks rally back to force the extra periods. The Crimson Tide trailed 70-63 with 2:12 left in the second overtime, yet outscored South Carolina 11-4 to tie things once more. It was the Gamecocks who rallied in the final 90 seconds of the third overtime after trailing 82-77. South Carolina, though, ran out of gas at the end and missed its last eight field goal attempts to fall into a threeway tie for the SEC lead with No. 15 Kentucky and No. 17 Florida.

Avery Johnson Jr. and Ar’Mond Davis had career highs of 23 points and 19 points for Alabama, which won beat a ranked SEC opponent on the road for the first time since winning at No. 4 Mississippi State, 77-73, on Feb. 21, 2004. Both teams had several chances to win. Johnson’s long 3-pointer with 3 seconds MARTIN left in regulation bounded away and time ran out during the scramble. South Carolina had its chance to move in front moments earlier, but Thornwell could not finish a three-point play,

missing the free throw after his tying basket. Davis’ jumper from the left side at the end of the first overtime hit the rim and bounded away to bring another extra period. After Johnson’s 3-pointer put Alabama ahead 74-72, Thornwell tied it up once more to force a third overtime. Johnson tried to drive to the basket in the final seconds, but had the ball knocked away. Alabama got another chance to win at the end of third overtime. This time, Corban Collins’ 3-point attempt from just right of the key wouldn’t go.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

WH’s Scott earns all-conference honor in senior year at Maryville BY JUSTIN DRIGGERS justin@theitem.com Horace Lee Scott’s freshman year for the Maryville College (Tenn.) football team was typical of most incoming players – a lot of time in the weight room and a lot of time learning the offense. SCOTT “I was undersized when I got there,” said Scott, the former Wilson Hall center. “I put on about 25 pounds that summer after my freshman year and I’ve played at about 250 since then.” What helped his career the most, however, was learning the MC playbook inside and

out. He studied every position along the offensive line – just in case he was needed at a position other than center. “That definitely helped me get on the field,” Scott said. “Even though they’re all linemen, everybody does something different on every play. It was lot to learn, but after my freshman year, the coaches felt I had a pretty good grasp of everything. “Whenever injuries came up, they were able to plug me in where they needed me.” Scott’s journey took him from special teamer to starter and finally, in his last season at Maryville, to earning a USA South Athletic Conference firstteam all-conference selection. “It really meant a lot for it to come in my senior year,”

Scott said. “I put a lot of work in over the last four years and I’m really proud of where I finished.” Scott played only on special teams his first year before finally earning playing time as a center his sophomore season. Scott was inserted into the starting lineup his junior year at left tackle, and has been a stalwart along the line ever since. This season, he moved to left guard for most of the year after injuries and other factors put the lineup in flux. “He started every game for us the last two years,” said MC offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Philip Bailey. “We were 8-2 each of the

SEE SCOTT, PAGE B4

MARYVILLE COLLEGE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Former Wilson Hall standout offensive lineman Horace Lee Scott (67) earned an all-conference honor playing for Maryville College in Tennessee during his senior season.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017

SCOREBOARD

Detroit 113, Philadelphia 96 Toronto 118, L.A. Clippers 109 Utah 120, Atlanta 95 Miami 115, Minnesota 113 New Orleans 111, Phoenix 106 Denver 110, Dallas 87 Memphis 89, San Antonio 74 Chicago 112, Sacramento 107

TV, RADIO TODAY

10 a.m. – Professional Tennis: Open Sud de France Early-Round Matches from Montpellier, France (TENNIS). Noon – Professional Tennis: Ecuador Open Quito Early-Round Matches (TENNIS). 2:30 p.m. – International Soccer: FA Cup Fourth-Round Match – Derby vs. Leicester City (FOX SPORTS 1). 6:05 p.m. – Talk Show: Sports Talk (WDXY-FM 105.9, WDXY-AM 1240). 6:30 p.m. – College Basketball: DePaul at Xavier (FOX SPORTS 1). 6:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Mississippi at Tennessee (SEC NETWORK). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: South Florida at Connecticut (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: North Carolina State at Florida State (ESPN2). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Baylor at Oklahoma State (ESPNU). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: Pittsburgh at Boston College (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 7 p.m. – College Basketball: George Mason at Davidson (TIME WARNER 1250). 8 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Los Angeles Clippers at New York (ESPN). 8 p.m. – College Basketball: Houston at Tulane (ESPNEWS). 8 p.m. – Women’s College Basketball: Texas Tech at Texas Christian (FOX SPORTS SOUTHEAST). 8 p.m. – NHL Hockey: Chicago at Minnesota (NBC SPORTS NETWORK). 8:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Providence at Seton Hall (FOX SPORTS 1). 8:30 p.m. – College Basketball: Missouri at Texas A&M (SEC NETWORK). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: West Virginia at Oklahoma (ESPN2). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Central Florida at Cincinnati (ESPNU). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Virginia Tech at Miami (FOX SPORTSOUTH). 9 p.m. – College Basketball: Virginia Commonwealth at George Washington (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 10 p.m. – Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Maybank Championship First Round from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (GOLF). 10:30 p.m. – NBA Basketball: Chicago at Golden State (ESPN). 11 p.m. – College Basketball: NevadaLas Vegas at Nevada (CBS SPORTS NETWORK). 11 p.m. – College Basketball: California at Arizona State (ESPNU). 11 p.m. – College Basketball: Stanford at Arizona (FOX SPORTS 1). 2 a.m. – Professional Golf: European PGA Tour Maybank Championship First Round from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (GOLF).

COLLEGE BASKETBALL The Associated Press MEN’S SCORES

Monday EAST Albany (NY) 69, New Hampshire 55 Bucknell 82, Holy Cross 68 Canisius 72, St. Peter’s 70 Maine 52, Hartford 41 Monmouth (NJ) 74, Rider 69 Quinnipiac 73, Fairfield 71 Stony Brook 83, Mass.-Lowell 72 Vermont 71, Binghamton 51 SOUTH Alabama St. 71, MVSU 66 Alcorn St. 75, Grambling St. 65 Ark.-Pine Bluff 65, Alabama A&M 49 Bethune-Cookman 71, Howard 67 Delaware St. 80, Florida A&M 77, OT Georgia Southern 74, Louisiana-Lafayette 70 Georgia St. 69, Louisiana-Monroe 55 Hampton 93, SC State 64 NC Central 86, Coppin St. 77 Norfolk St. 92, Savannah St. 87 Southern U. 88, Jackson St. 75 Virginia 71, Louisville 55 Wofford 79, ETSU 76 MIDWEST Kansas 74, Kansas St. 71 SOUTHWEST Arkansas St. 67, Coastal Carolina 57 UALR 69, Appalachian St. 62

MEN’S SCHEDULE TUESDAY

EAST Maryland at Penn St., 6 p.m. Princeton at Penn, 7 p.m. Rhode Island at UMass, 7 p.m. N. Illinois at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Siena at Iona, 7 p.m. Georgetown at Villanova, 7 p.m. SOUTH Alabama at South Carolina, 6:30 p.m. Florida at Georgia, 7 p.m. Tulsa at Memphis, 7 p.m. LSU at Kentucky, 7 p.m. Allen at NC A&T, 7 p.m. Tusculum at Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m. Syracuse at Clemson, 8 p.m. Mississippi St. at Auburn, 9 p.m. MIDWEST Ball St. at Akron, 6 p.m. Bowling Green at Kent St., 7 p.m. E. Michigan at Toledo, 7 p.m. W. Michigan at Miami (Ohio), 7 p.m. Cent. Michigan at Ohio, 7 p.m. Wake Forest at Notre Dame, 7 p.m. Illinois at Northwestern, 8 p.m. Illinois St. at Drake, 8 p.m. Saint Joseph’s at Dayton, 8 p.m. Butler at Marquette, 9 p.m. Michigan St. at Michigan, 9 p.m. SOUTHWEST Vanderbilt at Arkansas, 8:30 p.m. Iowa St. at Texas, 9 p.m. Texas Tech at TCU, 9 p.m. FAR WEST Utah St. at Colorado St., 9 p.m. San Diego St. at San Jose St., 11 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION Boston Toronto New York Philadelphia Brooklyn SOUTHEAST DIVISION Washington Atlanta Charlotte Miami Orlando CENTRAL DIVISION Cleveland Indiana Chicago Detroit Milwaukee

W 33 32 22 18 9

L 18 21 31 33 42

Pct .647 .604 .415 .353 .176

GB — 2 12 15 24

W 30 30 23 22 20

L 21 22 28 30 33

Pct .588 .577 .451 .423 .377

GB — ½ 7 8½ 11

W 35 29 26 24 22

L 15 22 26 28 28

Pct .700 .569 .500 .462 .440

GB — 6½ 10 12 13

WESTERN CONFERENCE

MONDAY’S GAMES

Swampcats top century mark in big win over Orangeburg Prep

TUESDAY’S GAMES

Brooklyn at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Orlando at Houston, 8 p.m. Portland at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Cleveland at Indiana, 7 p.m. San Antonio at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. Denver at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Washington at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at New York, 8 p.m. Miami at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. Phoenix at Memphis, 8 p.m. Toronto at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Utah at New Orleans, 8 p.m. Boston at Sacramento, 10:30 p.m. Chicago at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

Houston at Charlotte, 7 p.m. Philadelphia at Orlando, 7 p.m. Cleveland at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m. Utah at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Boston at Portland, 10:30 p.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L

OT Pts GF

Montreal Ottawa Toronto Boston Florida Detroit Buffalo Tampa Bay

8 6 10 6 10 9 10 6

158 137 160 143 124 132 126 144

134 135 155 149 143 152 145 157

METROPOLITAN DIVISION GP W L

OT Pts GF

Washington Columbus Pittsburgh N.Y. Rangers Philadelphia N.Y. Islanders New Jersey Carolina

6 5 5 1 7 10 10 7

114 127 147 139 164 153 153 146

54 50 51 55 52 52 52 53

53 51 51 52 54 51 54 51

30 27 24 26 23 22 21 23

36 33 33 33 26 23 23 24

16 17 17 23 19 21 21 24

11 13 13 18 21 18 21 20

68 60 58 58 56 53 52 52

78 71 71 67 59 56 56 55

175 170 184 177 144 153 127 138

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L

OT Pts GF

Minnesota Chicago Nashville St. Louis Winnipeg Dallas Colorado

5 5 8 5 4 10 2

119 141 135 162 172 169 168

51 54 52 53 55 53 49

34 32 25 26 25 21 14

12 17 19 22 26 22 33

73 69 58 57 54 52 30

172 152 142 149 161 147 99

PACIFIC DIVISION GP W L

OT Pts GF

San Jose Anaheim Edmonton Los Angeles Calgary Vancouver Arizona

3 10 8 4 3 6 6

121 135 141 128 157 150 161

53 54 55 53 55 52 51

33 28 29 27 27 23 17

17 16 18 22 25 23 28

L 12 17 22 31 32

Pct .765 .685 .593 .392 .385

GB — 3½ 8½ 19 19½

L 19 23 28 30 33

Pct .635 .566 .451 .423 .365

GB — 3½ 9½ 11 14

L 8 21 32 36 36

Pct .843 .596 .385 .333 .308

GB — 12½ 23½ 26½ 27½

Cleveland 140, Washington 135, OT Indiana 93, Oklahoma City 90 L.A. Lakers 121, New York 107

ORANGEBURG – Jalil Robinson scored 30 and Nazir Andino added 21 as Laurence Manning Academy’s varsity boys basketball team cracked the century mark in a 109-45 rout of Orangebug Prep on Tuesday at the Indians gymnasium. Jerrell Kelly added 15 for the Swampcats followed by Seth Green with 13 and Cam Singleton with 10. LMA improved to 21-7 overall and 5-0 in SCISA region II-3A and will travel to Wilson Hall on Friday. LAKEWOOD 65 LUGOFF-ELGIN 48

NHL STANDINGS The Associated Press

69 66 66 58 57 52 40

144 141 156 132 146 123 116

NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

MONDAY’S GAMES

St. Louis 2, Philadelphia 0 N.Y. Islanders 6, Toronto 5, OT New Jersey 2, Buffalo 1

TUESDAY’S GAMES

San Jose at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Calgary at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. Carolina at Washington, 7 p.m. Anaheim at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. St. Louis at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Dallas at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Columbus at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. Minnesota at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. Vancouver at Nashville, 8 p.m. Montreal at Colorado, 9 p.m.

TODAY’S GAMES

Chicago at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

San Jose at Boston, 7 p.m. Anaheim at Buffalo, 7 p.m. Nashville at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. Detroit at Washington, 7 p.m. Vancouver at Columbus, 7 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. St. Louis at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles at Florida, 7:30 p.m. Dallas at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at Colorado, 9 p.m. Montreal at Arizona, 9 p.m.

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Chicago at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. Tampa Bay at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

LOCAL PREP SCHEDULE TODAY VARSITY AND JV BASKETBALL

Central Pageland at Lee Central (No JV Girls), 5 p.m.

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL

Grant Singleton scored 25 points as Lakewood earned a 65-48 victory over Lugoff-Elgin on Tuesday at The Swamp. Dontrea Osborne added 17 points for the Gators followed by Malik Wilson with 12. LHS improved to 16-5 overall and 7-0 in Region VI-4A and will host Darlington on Thursday in its final regular-season game. WILSON HALL 39 FLORENCE CHRISTIAN 37

FLORENCE – Jacob Cotton scored 17 points as Wilson Hall edged Florence Christian School 39-37 on Tuesday at the FCS gymnasium. Drew Talley added eight points and 14 rebounds for the Barons, who improved to 11-9 overall and 4-1 in the region and will host Laurence Manning Academy on Friday. THOMAS SUMTER 45 ROBERT E. LEE 43

DALZELL – Kyle Decker scored 19 points as Thomas Sumter Academy edged Robert E. Lee Academy 45-43 on Tuesday at Edens Gymnasium. Zach Fugate added 11 points for the Generals. The Cavaliers were led by William Corbett with 11 points followed by Bryce Barrett with 10.

JV BASKETBALL LAURENCE MANNING 30 ORANGEBURG PREP 29

ORANGEBURG – Chase Lee scored 18 points as Laurence Manning Academy edged Orangeburg Prep 30-29 in overtime on Tuesday at the Indians gymnasium. Bryce Carmack added six points for the JV Swampcats, who improved to 12-6 overall and 3-1 in the region and will travel to Wilson Hall on Friday. WILSON HALL 34 FLORENCE CHRISTIAN 32

FLORENCE – Evan Hoffman hit 3-pointer with eight seconds left to tie game and then Miller Jones stole the inbounds pass and made a layup as Wilson Hall rallied for a 34-32 victory over Florence Christian School on Tuesday at the FCS gymnasium. Emory Moore led the Barons with 12 points followed by Nathan Harris with nine. WH improved to 14-5 overall and 4-1 in the region and will host Laurence Manning Academy on Friday.

GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL SUMTER 61 SOCASTEE 42

MYRTLE BEACH – Sumter High School closed out its season with a 61-42 victory over Socastee on Monday at the Socastee gymnasium. Tamerah Brown led Sumter with 21 points. Latrice Lyons added nine and Dynasia Jackson had eight. The Lady Gamecocks finished the season with a 3-18 overall record and a 1-9 mark in Region VI-5A. CRESTWOOD 51 DARLINGTON 31

DARLINGTON – Jah’Che Whitfield led three Crestwood players in double figures with 19 points as the Lady Knights closed out the regular season with a 51-31 victory over Darlington on Tuesday at the DHS gymnasium. Lindsey Rogers and Monajah Lewis each added 11 points for CHS. LEE CENTRAL 39 ANDREW JACKSON 38

KERSHAW – A’Yanah Lucas had 11 points and 13 rebounds as Lee Central edged Andrew Jackson 39-38 on Tuesday at the AJ gymnasium. Jiah Ervin added eight points and two steals for the Lady Stallions while Shay Harris finished with seven points, three rebounds and three steals. LCHS improved to 10-9 overall and 7-4 in the region. LAURENCE MANNING 44 ORANGEBURG PREP 34

ORANGEBURG – Lexi Bennett led three Laurence Manning Academy players in double figures with 13 points as the Lady Swampcats topped Orangeburg Prep 44-34 on Tuesday at the OP gymnasium. Brooke Bennett finished with 11 points for LMA followed by Cora Lee Downer with 10. FLORENCE CHRISTIAN 27 WILSON HALL 25

FLORENCE – Florence Christian School outscored Wilson Hall 11-3 in the final quarter to earn a come-from-behind 27-25 victory on Tuesday at the Eagles gymnasium. Courtney Clark led the Lady Barons with 13 points and seven rebounds. Cameron Duffy was next with six points and four assists. WH hosts Laurence Manning Academy on Friday.

JV BASKETBALL LAURENCE MANNING 36 ORANGEBURG PREP 32

ORANGEBURG – Audrey Bennett had 13 points and Katherine Burns added 12 as LMA remained unbeaten in region play with a 36-32 victory over Orangeburg Prep on Tuesday at the OP gymnasium. Bryce Erickson added six points for the JV Lady Swampcats and Breanna Boykin finished with five. LMA improved to 14-3 overall and will travel to Wilson Hall on Friday.

Lakewood at Darlington, 6 p.m.

B TEAM BASKETBALL

Laurence Manning at Calhoun Academy, 5 p.m.

THURSDAY VARSITY BASKETBALL

Darlington at Lakewood, 6 p.m. East Clarendon at Hemingway, 6 p.m.

B TEAM BASKETBALL

Trinity-Byrnes at Robert E. Lee, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY VARSITY AND JV BASKETBALL

TRANSACTIONS The Associated Press BASEBALL

American League KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Agreed to terms with C Brayan Pena on a minor league contract. TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Agreed to terms with C Jarrod Saltalamacchia on a minor league contract. National League MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Assigned RHP Rob Scahill outright to Colorado Springs (PCL).

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association DALLAS MAVERICKS — Signed G Yogi Ferrell to a multi-year contract.

FOOTBALL

SOUTHWEST DIVISION W San Antonio 39 Houston 37 Memphis 32 Dallas 20 New Orleans 20 NORTHWEST DIVISION W Utah 33 Oklahoma City 30 Denver 23 Portland 22 Minnesota 19 PACIFIC DIVISION W Golden State 43 L.A. Clippers 31 Sacramento 20 L.A. Lakers 18 Phoenix 16

AREA ROUNDUP

Laurence Manning at Wilson Hall, 4 p.m. Thomas Sumter at Carolina Academy, 4 p.m. Robert E. Lee at Williamsburg, 4 p.m.

NBA STANDINGS The Associated Press

THE SUMTER ITEM

National Football League ATLANTA FALCONS — Named Steve Sarkisian offensive coordinator. BUFFALO BILLS — Named Gill Byrd defensive backs coach and Bobby Babich assistant defensive backs coach.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League BOSTON BRUINS — Fired coach Claude Julien. Promoted assistant coach Bruce Cassidy to interim head coach. NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Placed F Harry Zolnierczyk on injured reserve. Recalled F Pontus Aberg from Milwaukee (AHL). NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Assigned F Joseph Blandisi and D Karl Stollery to Albany (AHL).

COLLEGE

ARMY — Suspended defensive coordinator Jay Bateman two weeks and fined him $25,000 for mishandling information about Wake Forest football team.

GATORS FROM PAGE B1 While pleased with the win, Lakewood head coach Demetress Adams-Ludd was troubled by her team’s uneven play. “That’s something at halftime we spoke to the girls about in the huddles,” said AdamsLudd, whose team stands at 9-11 overall. “My assistants and myself were just trying to get them out of that lethargic mentality. They have to pick it up a lot sooner. Maybe strategically we’ll have to do some things differently, but we’re still a work in progress. Whatever we have to do as a coaching staff to get them ready, we may have to change some things to do that. We understand that you can’t do that, and we preach that to the girls several times. We’re just thankful for the win at the end of the day, because it could have gone the other way.” While the Lady Gators seemed never in danger of losing, Adams-Ludd would have liked to see her team build more of a cushion late and finish stronger. “We’re trying to get our kids to understand that, and that’s the part of the game that I can say, as a coach, is missing,” the former Lee Central and University of South Carolina standout said. “But this is a huge learning experience for them. Most of them, this is their first time on varsity, so they have to understand what runs are and how to stop a team in a run, how to waver a run or how to build off of a run.” Cain and Harvin added seven steals apiece, with two other Lady Gators stuffing the stat sheet in different categories. Serena Choice closed with 11 rebounds, five steals and four points while Valencia Croom had

eight rebounds and two points. While competing in the playoffs will be a new experience for all but Cain, AdamsLudd has a wealth of personal knowledge she can draw upon and share from her playing days on Lee Central teams that were perennial state champion contenders under coach Dorothy Fortune. “I’m excited, knowing what the future could hold for this team, and I think this is just a taste of what is to come for these girls,” Adams-Ludd said. “They’re young, they’re energetic and they’re talented, so we’ve just got to continue to work. A lot of what I do comes from my time at Lee Central, as well as playing at South Carolina and even some overseas things. I tell the girls a lot of stories about the battles at USC, or when I was at Lee Central, and just the mentality and the culture that we had, and the fact that we didn’t understand anything BUT winning the state championship. So I think they’re starting to catch on and adapt to that mentality but, like I said, we’re still a work in progress. “It was sort of miraculous, the teams that coach Fortune had and the fact that she didn’t have to do a lot to mold us. A lot of the intangibles, we were just ingrained with them; it was God-given. With these girls, it’s just a little bit of a different situation, but I’m just trying to do my best to give them those intangibles in any scenario or game where we can pick it up along the way. That’s kind of what makes up a good team. It’s not just the talent but it’s the heart and it’s the courage to go out there and just make something happen or get a stop. Our girls are slowly learning that, but I think by next year we’ll have it, and who’s to say we won’t go to state next year.”

SPORTS

THE SUMTER ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017

Sumter’s Tylik SibbliesSimon (5) drives around Socastee’s Alex Collins in the Gamecocks’ 75-52 victory on Tuesday at the SHS gymnasium. Sumter won the Region VI-5A championship with the triumph.

REPEAT FROM PAGE B1 evident from the outset as Jaylenn Corbett got out in front of the Braves’ defense for a couple of fast break layups to start the game. With Socastee having 7-foot-1-inch, 260-pound Jason Cudd on the floor, Sumter wanted to run as much as possible. “Push the ball. That was our game plan tonight,” Jones said. “We knew (Cudd) wasn’t fast enough to run with us and he didn’t have a lot of help tonight.” Socastee, which fell to 12-11 and 4-6, pulled within 5-4, but got no closer. Sumter reeled off nine straight points to go up 14-4 and led 16-8 after one quarter. The Braves never got closer than seven points the rest of the way. Kendrell Genrette converted a 3-point play to pull Socastee within 25-17 with 3:49 left in the first half. Ahmad Peoples drilled a 3-point shot, Corbett followed up a miss and Tylik Sibblies-Simon sank a 3 to make it 33-17 with 2:10 left. The Braves didn’t get back within single digits again as Sumter led 39-20 at halftime. The Gamecocks blew the game open in the third quarter as Andrew Tiller hit three straight treys in a 46-second span to make it 58-29. Sumter led 63-34 after three quarters. Isaih Moore led the Gamecocks with 14 points. All nine seniors scored for Sumter, led by Corbett with 12. Tiller, Peoples and Sibblies-Simon each had nine, Brandon Atkins and Antoine Benbow both had four, Ryan Missildine had three, Raymond Johnson two and Darius Williams one. Cudd had 22 points and six rebounds to lead Socastee. The University of South Carolina signee had just one blocked shot, but Sumter chose not to challenge him, instead outrunning him. Zack Henderson added nine.

RICK CARPENTER / THE SUMTER ITEM

COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Hart helps No. 2 Villanova survive late Georgetown run VILLANOVA, Pa. — Josh Hart scored 25 points and No. 2 Villanova held off a late Georgetown run in a 75-64 victory Tuesday night. With Hart on a second-half scoreless skid, the Hoyas (1312, 4-8 Big East) sliced a 17point deficit to two and had the Wildcats reeling at the Pavilion. L.J. Peak buried a 3 and Rodney Pryor hit a jumper to key a 17-4 run that pulled the Hoyas to 60-58 with 3:49 left. The Hoyas, swept by Villanova in three games last season, seemed poised to pull off the upset they needed to try and make a run at the NCAA Tournament. The Hoyas just couldn’t stop Hart in the clutch. Hart, a national player of the year candidate, scored 17 points in the first half and missed his first seven shots in the second. But he buried a 3 to make it a seven-point lead and turned a steal into a layup that made it 70-60 and sent the Pavilion crowd into a frenzy. The Wildcats (23-2, 10-2) held on and won the 79th game in the series between these decades-long rivals. Hart got the Wildcats rolling after they missed six of their first seven 3-point attempts. Hart hit three 3s in the first half and scored 17 points to help the Wildcats take an early 17-point lead. The Wildcats are at that point of the season where fans are just waiting for March. The students even started a “Trust the Process” chant when Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid made a cameo in the second half. Donte DiVincenzo scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half for the Wildcats. Peak led Georgetown with 21 points and Pryor had 20. Georgetown was involved in a crash on Monday on I-95 North outside of Baltimore on the way to Pennsylvania. There were no major injuries to any members of the team. But guard Tre Campbell banged his right knee and sat out. Coach John Thompson III hobbled on the sideline and often grabbed the scorer’s table for support. Georgetown lost its second straight game following a three-game winning streak.

for Kentucky. Antonio Blakeney had a season-high 31 points and Brandon Sampson added 17 for the Tigers (9-14, 1-10), who have lost 10 straight for the first time since 2011.

(17) FLORIDA 72 GEORGIA 60 ATHENS, Ga. — Chris Chiozza scored 15 points and No. 17 Florida recovered after blowing a 16-point lead to beat Georgia. Kasey Hill had 12 points for Florida (19-5, 9-2 Southeastern Conference), which has won five straight. The Gators began the night one game behind Southeastern Conference leader South Carolina. Yante Maten led Georgia (13-11, 4-7) with 19 points. The Bulldogs suffered their third straight loss, each to a ranked opponent. The Gators’ winning streak includes Saturday’s impressive 88-66 win over No. 8 Kentucky. Florida has made runaway wins look routine in their winning streak, and they appeared ready to pull away from the Bulldogs early. After Georgia led 5-0, Florida took the lead with a 13-2 run. Consecutive 3-pointers by Devin Robinson and Justin Leon helped Florida stretch the advantage to 30-14.

Villanova’s Josh Hart, left, goes up for a shot against Georgetown’s Jagan Mosely during the first half of the Wildcats’ 75-64 victory over the Hoyas on Tuesday in Villanova, Pa. The Hoyas desperately needed a marquee win to help its NCAA Tournament hopes. The 2017 Big East championship trophy made a stop at the Pavilion and it’s hard to imagine it won’t soon find a permanent spot at Villanova. The Wildcats are the threetime defending conference champs and lead the Big East again this season. Villanova extended its school record with its 48th straight win at the Pavilion.

(15) KENTUCKY 92 LSU 85 LEXINGTON, Ky. — Wenyen Gabriel scored a careerhigh 23 points, Malik Monk also had 23 and No. 15 Kentucky withstood a late LSU rally for a victory. The Wildcats (19-5, 9-2

Southeastern Conference) won for just the second time in five games and had to withstand the Tigers’ late rally that got them within 91-85 with 9 seconds remaining. Monk’s free throw 1 second later sealed a win that followed Kentucky’s 22-point loss at No. 17 Florida on Saturday. Gabriel provided the initial offensive boost and finished 7 of 11 from the field including three 3-pointers to beat his previous career best of 15. He also grabbed eight rebounds, including three offensive, as Kentucky controlled the boards 40-26. Monk bounced back from an 11-point outing to make 8 of 15 from the field with four 3s. De’Aaron Fox had 16 points and Isaiah Briscoe 14

PENN STATE 7 (21) MARYLAND 64 STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Lamar Stevens scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half and Penn State beat No. 21 Maryland. Tony Carr added 14 points and Mike Watkins had 10 for the Nittany Lions (13-12, 5-7 Big Ten) who snapped a twogame skid and beat their fourth Top 25 opponent since last February. Justin Jackson and Kevin

MARK TAYLOR Branch Manager

Huerter scored 12 points each and Melo Trimble added 11 for the Terrapins (20-4, 8-3) who lost their second in a row. The Nittany Lions played stingy defense early and led for all but 1:48 and by as many as 14 points with 9:59 remaining. The Terps cut the lead to 62-58 with 3:26 left after Jackson and Jaylen Brantley hit consecutive 3s. But a layup from Nazeer Bostick and six combined free throws from Carr, Stevens and Josh Reaves kept the game out of reach.

SYRACUSE 82 CLEMSON 81 CLEMSON — Tyus Battle hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Syracuse a one-point win over Clemson. Tyler Lydon drove the lane and the Tigers collapsed, allowing Lydon to find the freshman wide open in the right corner to give the Orange (16-9, 8-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) their fifth win in a row. Syracuse has come back from double-figure deficits in its last three wins. Andrew White led the Orange with 23 points. Lydon added 17 points and nine rebounds. Jaron Blosssomgame led Clemson (13-10, 3-8) with 20 points. It was another heartbreaking loss for the Tigers who have now lost a pair of 1-point games in the ACC, a 3-point game in overtime and a 4-point game, all at home. Donte Grantham hit a jumper from the free throw line with 6.2 seconds to go to give Clemson the lead before John Gillon’s drive and dish to Lydon that led to the winning basket. Clemson also led by as many as 12 in the first half, but the Orange reeled the game back in before half.

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SPORTS

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THE SUMTER ITEM

SPORTS ITEMS

Patriots get hero’s welcome during Super Bowl parade nine years in the organization. He completed his fifth season as head coach of the Providence Bruins in 2015-16, having spent the three previous seasons with the club as an assistant.

BOSTON — Snow, rain and chilly temperatures didn’t dampen the joy of New England Patriots fans exulting in their team’s latest championship Tuesday. The five-time Super Bowl winners received a hero’s welcome as they paraded through downtown Boston aboard World War II-era duck boats that have become a staple of the city’s recent title celebrations. Sounds of “Brady! Brady!” ‘’TB12!” and “MVP” rang out throughout the procession as fans proudly wore No. 12 jerseys over thick parkas and sweaters, holding signs declaring star quarterback Tom Brady the G.O.A.T. — the greatest of all time. Brady grinned and just took it all in, at one point tossing footballs back and forth with fans on the route as the duck boats rumbled along. “We’re going to remember this one for the rest of our lives and we know you will too,” he shouted from a stage at the parade’s end at City Hall. “I told you we were going to bring this sucker home, and we brought it home!” Cannons shot out red, white and blue confetti along the route, which started near the Boston Marathon finish line, where three spectators were killed and 260 others wounded in bombing attacks in April 2013. The route wound past famous city landmarks such as historic Faneuil Hall and the Boston Common.

FALCONS HIRE STEVE SARKISIAN AS NEW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

New England fans gather for the parade Tuesday in Boston to celebrate the Patriots’ 34-28 win over Atlanta in Super Bowl LI on Sunday. Fans were still in disbelief over New England’s stunning 34-28 comeback win in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons. “We were all sweating bullets the whole time, and then we saw the best comeback in the world and the greatest thing we’ve ever seen,” said James Mastrangelo, of Quincy, Massachusetts. BRUINS FIRE COACH JULIEN AFTER 419 WINS, CUP TITLE

BOSTON — The Bruins felt they needed to a change at the top, even if it meant doing it on a day when the city was celebrating a championship. Boston fired Stanley Cupwinning coach Claude Julien on Tuesday, just hours before a downtown parade in honor of the New England Patriots’ Super Bowl victory.

SCOTT FROM PAGE B1 last two years, so he was 16-4 overall as a starter. “He’s a very smart kid and he’s very deserving of his all-conference award.” Maryville, an NCAA Division II school, had about as balanced an offense as Bailey can remember this season as the Fighting Scots averaged 267.3 yards passing and 225.2 yards rushing per game. That meant that Scott had to be adept

With the team in danger of missing the playoffs for a third straight season, General manager Don Sweeney apologized for the timing, Sweeney felt he had little choice. Boston has lost two in a row and six of nine and fallen out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Assistant Bruce Cassidy was named interim coach. Four of the past eight Stanley Cup champions have made a coaching change midseason. Julien was the longest-tenured current coach in the NHL, starting with the Bruins in the 2007-08 season. He went 419-246-94 in nearly 10 seasons, including two trips to the NHL finals and a Stanley Cup title in 2011. Cassidy, 51, is not a newbie to the Bruins, having spent

at both run and pass blocking – something he’s continually worked on since his freshman year, he said. “I think all linemen love to run block, so moving from center to tackle was the hardest thing I ever had to do because I really had to work on my pass blocking,” Scott said. “At tackle, you’re kind of on island by yourself out there with everyone coming off the edge. Tackle had the most assignments and we had to do a lot of things with our split adjustments and knowing where the ball was going.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have hired Steve Sarkisian as their new offensive coordinator. The move was announced Tuesday, less than 24 hours after Kyle Shanahan left to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. Sarkisian took over as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in the national championship game, but his tenure with the Crimson Tide stunningly lasted only one contest. He is a former head coach at Washington and Southern Cal. Sarkisian was named Alabama’s offensive coordinator after Lane Kiffin left to become the head coach at Florida Atlantic University. The 42-year-old Sarkisian takes over the NFL’s scoring offense led by MVP quarterback Matt Ryan, All-Pro receiver Julio Jones and 1,000yard rusher Devonta Freeman. BAYLOR ASSISTANT FIRED FOR SOLICITING PROSTITUTE

WACO, Texas — Baylor University fired a newly hired assistant strength and conditioning coach after he was arrested on a prostitution solicitation charge, the latest legal

“We run a lot of zone and there was a different assignment for every position on every play.” It is not an easy transition either, Bailey said, nor is it to go from tackle to guard as Scott did this year. “The demands of the position are different, especially in pass blocking,” he said. “You’re dealing with speed rushers on the end at guard, and then at guard you’re up against those big interior defensive linemen who have a lot of power. “But I knew Horace could do it because he’d been in our program for a

development at a school wracked a by a sexual assault scandal. Brandon Washington was fired Saturday after school officials learned he had been arrested earlier in the day on a misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in a jail and a $2,000 fine. Deputies arrested the 33-yearold coach at a Waco-area hotel, McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said. Baylor officials said the school conducted a full background check before hiring Washington. AP SOURCE: NAPOLI, RANGERS WORKING ON REUNION

Mike Napoli and the Texas Rangers are working toward another reunion, this time to fill pressing needs the AL West champions have for a first baseman and another big bat in the middle of the lineup. The slugger and the team have been negotiating a contract, a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press. That person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because talks were ongoing. Texas general manager Jon Daniels didn’t respond to messages from the AP. The AL West champion Rangers would have to clear a spot on their 40-man roster for Napoli, which means a deal may not be finalized until after spring training opens. From wire reports

long time and had a lot of reps in. His understanding of our concepts, understanding of angles and gap placement made moving some pieces around easier. He fit in seamlessly.” Bailey also harped on Scott’s enhanced role as a leader this season – something that will likely come in handy down the road as he prepares to make the potential move from player to coach. “I love football,” Scott said. “So, yeah I definitely see myself coaching at some level down the road.”

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SPORTS

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RECRUITING

USC’s last scholarship may go to JUCO cornerback Hughes

outh Carolina, which has one scholarship remaining for the 2017 class, is not finished with JUCO All American cornerback Mike Hughes and he’s not finished with the Gamecocks. According to Garden City JC, Kansas, head coach Jeff Simms, Hughes did not sign Wednesday because he has not graduated. And whenever Hughes does graduate, Sims, said, South Carolina wants him. “They are going to wait however long it takes for him to graduate,” the coach said. “I’m sure they are going to sign him as he gets a little bit closer academically. He will get it done, the question is when will he get it done. It could be as late as Christmas. He has to graduate. He hasn’t been here a year. It’s not that he’s not a good student, he’s a good student. It’s the amount of work he has to get done. He has given me every impression that South Carolina is where he likes. It’s an SEC school that’s near his house (in North Carolina). There have been other schools that have contact me and said that they would do every they could within the rules to get him and he’s been unimpressed. He’s made me feel that that’s the place he wants to go and he hasn’t wavered at all.” Head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson recruited Hughes when they were at Florida so they have had a relationship with him for years. Hughes started his career at North Carolina where he played as a freshman in 2015. He transferred to Garden City and was a standout on a national championship team in 2016. As a two-way player, he had 47 tackles with two interceptions on defense and 871 all-purpose yards with seven touchdowns. He was named the defensive player of the year in his conference. Hughes does not have any junior college eligibility left so if it takes him until Christmas to graduate, he will not play this season for the Broncos. He will have three years to play two at the next level. USC has reached out the West Coast in an attempt to attract a placekicker for the 2017 class. Chase McGrath of Newport Coast, California, said he was offered Thursday night by the Gamecocks. He also picked up an offer from Virginia to go along with earlier ones from Texas Tech, Utah State and Army. It’s not clear if the offers are for scholarships or walk-on opportunities. McGrath has taken an official visit to Texas Tech. McGrath was named the All-County placekicker last season. He was 3-for-5 on field goals with a long of 51 yards and 90-for-93 on extra points. DL Romello Martin of Brooklyn did not sign Wednesday as he awaits the return of his most recent SAT score. USC recruited Martin for much of the

season and he said the Gamecocks have been in touch with his coach as have Ole Miss and Florida. He made an unofficial visit to USC in August. Martin said if he does not qualify he Phil Kornblut plans to attend a prep RECRUITING school, possibly Milford Prep. CORNER 2017 QB Drew Dinsmore (6-foot-6-inches, 210 pounds) of Atlanta announced he will walk-on at USC with an invite from Will Muschamp to join the program and compete for a scholarship. He was offered by Cornell and Eastern Kentucky. Punter Joe Doyle of Knoxville has a preferred walk-on offer from USC and is planning a visit right now for Feb. 17. He’s also planning to visit Arkansas the following weekend. One-time USC commitment RB Kyshaun Bryan of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, signed with Iowa. DL William Green of Albany, Georgia, signed with Jones County JC, Mississippi on Monday. USC has been involved with him and likely will be moving forward. He’s also been looking at Mississippi State. LB Dax Hollifield of Shelby, N.C., was at USC the Saturday before last. He has had the Gamecocks, Virginia Tech and North Carolina at the top of his list. Stanford is now recruiting him hard and he plans to visit there. LB Eli Adams of South Pointe has a USC offer and the Gamecocks, early on, reside in a prominent place in his mind. Adams was the leader of the Stallions’ defense last season that won another state championship. Adams also has offers from Maryland and East Carolina. He plans to attend USC’s junior day Feb. 25 and he also wants to visit Maryland. He wants to make his decision before his senior season. TE Gavin Schoenwald of Nashville was in for USC’s recent junior day. He also visited last season for the Missouri game. Schoenwald also holds offers from Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Georgia, Iowa and Ole Miss. USC put out several new 2018 offers… DL Aeneas Hawkins of Cincinnati; DB Jordan Miner of Tampa; DE Kingsley Enagbare; DL Trevor Trout of St. Louis; WR Seth Williams of Cottondale, Alabama; RB Deshaun Fenwick of Bradenton, Florida, and DL Nesta Silvera of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For 2019, USC offered DE Derrick McClendon of Tucker, Georgia, and WR Kameron Brown of Colleyville, Texas. 2021 QB Maddox Tavernier of Fishers, Indiana, is planning to camp at USC this summer. He’s coming to USC on June 3 and then heading to North

OBITUARIES SHELBY H. CAYLOR Shelby Jean Hyde Caylor, age 79, died on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, at her residence. Arrangements are incomplete at this time and will be announced by Bullock Funeral Home.

CAROLYN EVANS Patricia Carolyn Evans, 75, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, at Palmetto Health Tuomey. She was a daughter of the late Lucius K. and Dora Hodge Evans. Ms. Evans was a member of Concord Presbyterian Church. She was a graduate of the former Columbia School of Nursing and

received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of South Carolina-School of Nursing. She worked with home health services in Sumter, Clarendon, Lee and Kershaw counties, until her retirement. Carolyn was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, great-aunt and greatgreat-aunt. Her family loved her dearly and her memory will be cherished by many. Survivors include one sister, Edna E. Watford of Sumter; one brother, Ralph M. Evans (Sara) of Currie, North Carolina; five nieces; four nephews; and a number of great- and great-great-nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday in the Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Dane Deatherage officiating. Burial will be in Brewington Cemetery in

Carolina the next day. Tavernier said he talked with some Vanderbilt coaches at his last showcase event. He said he’s the only player in his class invited to the Best of the Midwest Showcase later this month in Indianapolis.

22; Scout-USC 19, Clemson 26; 247Sports-USC 17, Clemson 18; ESPNClemson 10-USC 19.

CLEMSON

CLEMSON AND USC DE Stephon Wynn Jr., the son of the former Clemson star defensive lineman now attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, is thought by many in the recruiting world as a lock for the Tigers. He may eventually follow in his dad’s footsteps but at this stage of the recruiting process Wynn is taking it all in and considering all comers. “Yes, I grew up a Clemson fan but none of that will affect my recruiting,” Wynn Jr. said. “If I decide to go to Clemson it will be because I decide to go to Clemson, not because my family went to school there or my dad played there, nothing like that. I’m really open to any school that gives me a scholarship. I want to take my time, evaluate each school and pick the best school for me. I’m still wide open. I really haven’t thought about committing yet, I’m just taking my time with it and enjoying the process.” Wynn just picked up an offer from Alabama. He has had a top eight of Clemson, USC, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Tech but he said he’s rethinking that list now, especially after getting the Alabama offer. Wynn was at Clemson last month for a junior day, which for him also served as a return home to nearby Anderson. Wynn said USC also is recruiting him hard and despite his Clemson heritage he plans to give the Gamecocks as much consideration as the rest. Wynn plans others visits over the spring and he will go to Alabama for sure. IMG typically takes some of its top recruits on a tour of schools thru the Southeast so Wynn will no doubt get back to Clemson and USC for that. He plans to make his commitment before the season but he will take official visits after his commitment. QB Dakereon Joyner visited USC last month but did not make it to Clemson’s junior day the end of January. He has upcoming visits to Georgia and N.C. State. As for the USC visit, Joyner had another good experience. He also has visited Virginia Tech. Clemson recruiter Tony Elliott checked in on Joyner the end of last month. Ben Lippen QB Patrick McClure did not sign Wednesday. Clemson is now showing interest as a possible walk-on opportunity that might not materialize until January. USC and Virginia Tech also have talked with him about walk-on spots. And he has visited Jacksonville University. National rankings for Clemson and USC classes….Rivals-USC 17, Clemson

Clarendon County. Pallbearers will be David Jordan, Keith Jordan, Brian Evans, Gregg Watford, Billy Moore and Mitch McElveen. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home and other times at the home, 1450 Plowden Mill Road. Memorials may be made to Concord Presbyterian Church, 3350 E. Brewington Road, Sumter, SC 29153. Elmore-Cannon-Stephens Funeral Home of Sumter is in charge of the arrangements.

ALBERT BRADLEY Albert Bradley, 67, husband of Christine Wright Bradley, departed this life on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, at Carolinas Med-

BASKETBALL 2018 prospect Zion Williamson (6-6) of Spartanburg Day made an unofficial visit to USC on Saturday for the Georgia. Williamson also visited Clemson in January for a game.

ical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina. He was born on Oct. 27, 1949, in Lee County, a son of the late Walter A. and Rosa Lee Ruth Bradley. The family will receive friends at the home of his brother, Wilton Bradley, 734 Lower Lee School Road, Mayesville, SC 29104. Job’s Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements.

BARBARA M. THAMES On Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, Barbara Ellen Mack Thames, widow of Lonell Thames, departed this life at Palmetto Health Tuomey. Born on July 9, 1947, in Manning, she was a daughter of the late Ashby and Sarah

Be Ready for Valentine’s Day! SPRAY TAN SPECIAL February 6-11

LB Teradja Mitchell of Virginia Beach, Virgina, released his top 11 and it includes Clemson. He also has Southern Cal, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Penn State, LSU and Florida State. Clemson is in the final nine with DB Verone McKinley II of Plano, Texas. The others are Alabama, LSU, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Penn State and UCLA. DB Kyler McMichael of Duluth, Georgia, took a visit to Clemson for last month’s junior day. McMichael’s offers include Clemson, USC, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Michigan State, LSU, Notre Dame, Auburn, North Carolina and Michigan. This month he is going to Georgia on Feb. 11 and Duke on Feb. 18. One-time Clemson commitment RB Cordarrion Richardson of Memphis, Tennessee, who was expected to sign with Maryland, signed with Central Florida. TE James Mitchell of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, took in Clemson’s junior day last month. Mitchell also visited Clemson during the season. He also has offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke, Vanderbilt and James Madison. He will go to Duke for a junior day in February and is also going to Tennessee. OL Trey Hill of Warner Robbins, Georgia also attended Clemson’s junior day. He also visited Clemson last summer for a camp but this visit gave him a chance to see the new digs and get closer with the coaches. Hill has nearly 30 offers at this point so he’s not sure where anyone fits. He will go to Georgia and Florida State in February. USC also is one of his offers and he hopes to get there this spring or summer. One of the top prospects at Clemson for that junior day was TE Mustapha Muhammad of Missouri City, Texas. He was making his first visit to Clemson. Muhammad said he will be visiting Oklahoma State this month. Some of his other offers are Michigan, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and TCU. Also at Clemson for that junior day were DB Derrik Allen of Marietta, Georiga; DB Patrick Surtain of Plantation, Florida, and DB Tyson Campbell of Plantation, Florida. Clemson offered 2018 DL Thomas Booker of Baltimore and 2019 DE Khristopher Bogle of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Ellen Jones Mack. The service of remembrance will take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday at Greenhill Missionary Baptist Church, 1260 Greenhill Church Road, Alcolu, where the pastor, the Rev. Delbert Singleton, will bring words of comfort. The service of committal will follow in the family plot, located in the Greenhill Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. The family is receiving relatives and friends at the residence, 46 West End St., Bellwood Subdivision, Manning. Fleming & DeLaine Funeral Home & Chapel is in charge of the services. Online condolences for the family may be sent to www. flemingdelaine@aol.com or flemingdelaine@aol.com.

The Hair Colorist $15

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803.778.5012

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(803) 934-9212 246 Broad St Sumter, SC 29150

(803) 435-9927 37 W. Rigby St Manning, SC 29102

HealthCare

SUMTER

1018 N. Guignard Dr, Sumter, SC • 803-773-5567

CLASSIFIEDS

THE ITEM

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 2017

MAYOâ€™S â€œFABULOUS FEBRUARY SALEâ€?

WHERE $1.00 CAN BUY YOU A SUIT!

Choose ONE suit at our REGULAR PRICE Get SECOND suit of equal or less value for ONLY $1.00! Because itâ€™s FABULOUS FEBRUARY

If your suits arenâ€™t becoming to you, Itâ€™s a good time to be coming to Mayoâ€™s!

Wesmark Plaza â€˘ 773-2262 â€˘ Mon-Sat 10-7 â€˘ www.MayosDiscountSuits.com Help Wanted Full-Time

Roofing

ANNOUNCEMENTS Lost & Found Black & White Cat found in Patriot Village Call 803-983-1135

Card of Thanks

Robert's Metal Roofing 35 Yrs exp. 45 yr warranty. Financing avail. Expert installation. Long list of satisfied customers. 803-837-1549. All Types of Roofing & Repairs All work guaranteed. 30 yrs exp. SC lic. Virgil Bickley 803-316-4734.

Tree Service Ricky's Tree Service Tree removal, stump grinding, Lic & ins, free quote, 803-435-2223 or cell 803-460-8747.

NEWMAN'S TREE SERVICE Tree removal, trimming & stump grinding. Lic/Ins 803-316-0128

PETS & ANIMALS Dogs Full breed German Shepard puppies for sale $200. Call 803-938-3261

The family of the late Reverend Rufus Gaymon is filled with gratitude for your out pouring expressions of love and concern. To those of you who have traveled miles to share in this service, we thank you. To those who have participated in this service, we thank you. For those who extended loving support during the illness and the passing of our beloved one, we thank you. For the flowers, cards, telephone calls, food, visits your concern and your prayers, we thank you. For each act of kindness shown, may God richly bless you. The Gaymon Family

In Memory In Loving Memory

MERCHANDISE Farm Products Coastal Hay, HQ, SQ $5.00. Bahia $4.00. Call 803-481-7116

Garage, Yard & Estate Sales LARGE GARAGE SALE Every Weekend Tables $2 & $3 FLEA MARKET BY SHAW AFB

Open every weekend. Call 803-494-5500

Sofas & Chair $60 Sofa bed $50 Good condition 803-938-4810 Portable twin bed for guests. Converts to foot stool. $50 803-294.0980 Dresser Mirror Head board $150 Good condition. 803-938-4810 New & used Heat pumps & A/C. Will install/repair, Call 803-968-9549 or 843-992-2364 Dark Maple Dining table /6 Chairs $599 Excellent condition. 803-938-4810

The moon never beams without bringing me dreams, of that wonderful mother of mine. The birds never sing, but a message they bring, of that wonderful mother of mine. Just to bring back the time, that was so sweet to me, Just to bring back the days, when I sat on her knee. I pray every night to our Father above, for that wonderful mother of mine. There are treasures on earth, that made life seem worth while, but there's none that compare, to my mother's loving smile. Your soul shall live forever, on through the fields of time, but there will never be another to me, like that wonderful mother of mine. Loving and missing you so much, Doris & The Family

BUSINESS SERVICES Business Opportunities Selling professional carpet cleaning and restoration company. Truck and all equipment included. Call for pricing 803-938-5441

Home Improvements H.L. Boone, Contractor: Remodel paint roofs gutters drywall blown ceilings ect. 773-9904

Lawn Service Pearson's Lawn Service & Landscaping Free Estimates Call 803-406-3514

Legal Service Attorney Timothy L. Griffith 803-607-9087, 360 W. Wesmark. Criminal, Family, Accident, Injury

Painting Int/Ext Painting, Pressure washing. 30 yrs exp. References. Quality work/free est. Bennie 803-468-7592

Kitchen table with 5 Chairs Good condition $175 803-938-4810 For sale, 803-883-6340

firewood.

Wanted experienced commercial roofers. Apply in person at 1345 N. Pike East. Maintenance Electrician Position Multi Craft Technicians â€˘Installation and repair of all electrical equipment â€˘Various maintenance duties, including programming,troubleshooting ,&repairing machinery. â€˘Required skills: fabrication,electric al, pneumatic, welding, preventative maintenance and plumbing. â€˘Draw schematic & compile documentation for projects â€˘Positions available for 12 hr rotating shifts â€˘Manufacturing & Maintenance experience required. â€˘Previous verifiable industrial electrical experience preferred â€˘High School Diploma or Equivalent is preferred. â€˘Successful completion of a Technical /Electrical training program â€˘Knowledge of computers, PLC's, inverters other electrical applications COLOR-FI offers a comprehensive total compensation package, including competitive wages, low-cost health insurance, outstanding 401(k) plan, education assistance, paid holidays and vacations, and other excellent benefits. Send resume and cover letter, by email or fax, to: Bobbie Beasley, HR bbeasley @colorfi.com Fax803-775-5654 EOE Top pay for Roofers with flat roof experience TPO, Aspalt, mod bit, epdm, Only Experience roofers need apply. Call 803-968-9833. Btwn 8am-5pm only

For Sale or Trade

Netha J. Conyers 10/14/1923 - 02/08/2011

Architectural Draftsperson needed for small firm. PT/FT. AutoCAD 2016 experience a must. Please send resumes Box 468 c//o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

Call

6 Piece sectional sofa. Includes 2 recliners & queen bed. $300 803-840-1550 2005 Cadillac Deville Fully loaded, Extra clean, 1 Owner, $6000 803-495-2242 or 803-883-1585 Kitchen table with 5 Chairs Good condition $175 803-938-4810 Firewood for sale, $50 a load, $60 to haul it. 803-418-9302

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted Full-Time Morris College a private four year Liberal Arts College in Sumter, South Carolina, is seeking to fill the following position(s): Campus Safety Officer: Responsibilities would include patrolling the campus to ensure the security of persons and property, maintaining good order, investigating incidents of disruption on the campus, and controlling campus traffic. Effective Immediately. Data Entry Clerk: To render various data entry and retrieval service, assist in preparing reports, and preform any other duties relating to the respective Office of Admissions & Records. Must have an Associate degree in Secretarial Science or related field and two years of related experience. Effective Immediately. Submit letter of application, personal resume , three letters of recommendation and official academic transcripts to: Director of Personnel, Morris College, 100 W. College St., Sumter, SC 29150-3599. Morris College is an Equal Opport unity/Affirmative Action employer. Tow truck driver/mechanic helper, must be 21 years of age, clean driving record. Salary plus commission. Please apply at 212 West Liberty 8:30-4, Mon.-Fri.

Wanted mature female, for maid service. Must be dependable, honest, hardworking individual with own transportation. Must pass drug test and back ground check. Call 803-968-6796

Trucking Opportunities Burch's Landscaping P/T & F/T Local Dump Truck Operator Wanted. Clean CDL and Experience a must! Retirees welcome. Box 467 c/o The Item, PO Box 1677 Sumter SC 29151

Unfurnished Apartments Senior Living Apartments for those 62+ (Rent based on income) Shiloh-Randolph Manor 125 W. Bartlette. 775-0575 Studio/1 Bedroom apartments available EHO

Mobile Home with Lots

RENTALS

Houses for rent Call 773-7789 3BR/2BA DW, large private lot, between Sumter and Manning. $600mo+$600dep Call 803-473-7577

Mobile Home Rentals American MHP, 2 & 3/BR, lot rentals, water/sewer/garbage pkup inc'd. Sec. 8 ok. 803-494-4300. 3BR & 2BR, all appliances, Sumter area. Section 8 accepted. 469-6978 or 499-1500

STATEBURG COURTYARD 2 & 3 Br, Sec. 8 803-494-4015 Country living 3BR 2BA DW, fenced yard, $450 mo+Dep C/H/A Summerton/Manning Area. Call 803-225-2414

Mobile Home Lot Rentals 1 Lot For Mobile home. Rent $165 /mo. Incl's water & Sewage. Peaceful neighborhood. Off 521 N. 1.5 miles passed Kmart Call. 803-983-3121

REAL ESTATE

M & M Mobile Homes, Inc. Now selling New Wind Zone II Champion and Clayton Homes. Lots of floor plans available to custom design your home. Nice used refurbished homes still available also. Bank and Owner financing with ALL CREDIT SCORES accepted. Call 1-843-389-4215 Like us on Facebook M & M Mobile Homes. M & M Mobile Homes, Inc. Now selling New Wind Zone II Champion and Clayton Homes. Lots of floor plans available to custom design your home. Nice used refurbished homes still available also. Bank and Owner financing with ALL CREDIT SCORES accepted. Call 1-843-389-4215 Like us on Facebook M & M Mobile Homes.

Real Estate Wanted

FOR SALE BY SEALED BID 131 Hauser St. 2.43 acres and buildings. www.land.scana.com (803) 217-9171 Real Estate Wanted

LAND WANTED 15 to 30 Acres Sumter or Clarendon Counties

Montreat St. (off Miller Rd.) 2BR 1BA, all electric, no pets $350-$400 mo + dep. 803-316-8105. Huntington Place Apartments Rents from $625 per month 1 Month free* *13 Month lease required Leasing office located at Ashton Mill Apartment Homes 595 Ashton Mill Drive 803-773-3600 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5

Unfurnished Homes Rent: 1425 Morris Way Dr. 3BR/2BA, 1,900 sq ft. fenced yard. sprinkler system, new roof, new carpet. Very spacious. $1,100/mo + $1,100/dep. 803-757-4010 â€˘2/3 BR available, no deposit. â€˘Small commercial 409 Boulevard Rd. 803-775-8560 3 & 4 Br homes & MH, in Sumter County & Manning area. No Sect. 8. Rent + dep. req. Call 803-225-0389 3BR 2BA Rent to Own, Dwn pymt required, Avail. Immediately. Call 803-229-2814

Love is In the Air!

MUST SELL! 5 Coulter Dr. Wedgefield, Fleetwood 3br 2ba, den w/ fireplace, completely remodeled. like new, on 0.45 ac lot in cozy neighborhood. Only $47,500.

Please call (803) 468-6029. 1999 Fleetwood DW MH on 1 acre lot, 3BR 2BA $29,500 Excellent Cdtn, Colony Circle off Hwy 15 N Call 803-491-7763

Land & Lots for Sale Acre Minutes from Walmart/Shaw, all hookups. $12,900. 888-774-5720 1 Mobile home Lot remaining on Scenic Lake Dr. $4900!! Call Burch at 803-720-4129

TRANSPORTATION

Autos For Sale 1995 Ford Windstar GL, 132k, A/C, good condition. $1100. Call 803-983-0400 2004 Impala LS 3.8, 113,500mi. Asking $3500 646-319-8992

Miscellaneous

Manufactured Housing

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HP-17-03, 112 W. Calhoun St. (City) Request for Historic Preservation Design Review approval for removal and replacement of clay tile shingles with Architectural Shingles on property located at 112 W. Calhoun St. and represented by Tax Map # 228-12-02-004.

Unfurnished Homes

Legal Notice

Call 803-225-5658 or email: parttimerider@gmail.com

HP-17-04, 119 N. Main St. (City) Request for Historic Preservation Design Review approval to remove the brick infill areas in order to open the existing windows on the north side of the structure located at 119 N. Main St. and represented by Tax Map #s 249-09-01-014 and 249-09-01-025. Documents pertaining to the proposed request(s) are on file in the Office of the Sumter City-County Planning Department and are available to be inspected and studied by interested citizens. Joseph T. McElveen, Jr. Mayor

Bid Notices REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Sealed proposals will be received by the Purchasing Director until 11:00 am on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Opening will be held in the Office of the Purchasing Department, Sumter County Administration Building, 13 E. Canal Street, Sumter, South Carolina 29150. Proposals will be for the purpose of furnishing the City and County of Sumter with one (1) each new, complete fire truck and related equipment. The City/County of Sumter reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any or all technicalities and to award the contract as it appears to be in the best interest of the City/County. To request a copy of this proposal please contact: Mr. Robert E. Galloway, Jr. Sumter County 13 East Canal Street Sumter, SC 29150 Email: Purchasing@sumtercountysc.org Phone (803) 436-2329

Refurbished batteries as low as $45. New batteries as low as $59.95. Auto Electric Co., 102 Blvd Rd. 803-773-4381

LEGAL NOTICES Legal Notice NOTICE Please take note that Bonney Staffing Center, Inc. has applied to the Secretary of State's Office for a license to operate a Private Personnel Placement Service in the name of Bonney Staffing Center, Inc. at 320 Neeley Street, Sumter, SC 29150. The agency will be operated by Donna Dumond. Auditing Services - SWRTA 16/17-07 Santee Wateree Regional Transportation Authority (SWRTA) is soliciting proposals for the auditing of SWRTA's records located at 129 S. Harvin Street, Sumter, SC 29150 in accordance with State and Federal Audit Requirements from a professional Certified Public Accounting Firm. More detailed information and specifications are found in the solicitation which can be obtained by contacting, Patricia Drakeford, Compliance officer at 803-934-0396 ext. 103, or via email at pdrakeford@swrta.com or via website at www.swrta.com. All Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit proposals for this procurement. Questions concerning this Proposal will be accepted in writing via mail or email to the office through February 21, 2017 at 4:00pm. Deadline for proposals is 3/07/2017 at 12:00pm.

Summons & Notice SUMMONS IN THE FAMILY COURT FOR THE THIRD JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DOCKET NO.: 2016-DR-43-1498 STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF SUMTER James Warren, Plaintiff, vs. Betty Warren, Defendant. TO: THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT, BETTY WARREN: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in this action, of which a copy is herewith served upon you, and to serve a copy of your Answer to said Complaint on the subscribed, 109 North Main Street, Post Office Box 1211, Sumter, South Carolina 29151, within thirty (30) days after the service hereof, exclusive of the date of such service; and if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. THE DEAS LAW FIRM GARRYL L. DEAS, ESQUIRE 109 NORTH MAIN STREET POST OFFICE BOX 1211 SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA 29151 (803) 775-7004 ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

NOTICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION DESIGN REVIEW The Historic Preservation Design Review Committee will meet on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 3:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located on the Fourth Floor of the Sumter Opera House (21 North Main Street, Sumter, South Carolina). This is a public meeting.

Join Us Saturday, February 11th â€˘ 10am - 3pm 30 plus years experience 3735 Broad St., Sumter â€˘ 803-494-4247 Special Grand Opening Discounts Purchase a Vehicle and get the 1st Tank of Gas on us! Lots of FREE Giveaways â€˘ $$ Cash Drawings $$ â€˘ Food & Drinks A very Special â€œThank Youâ€? to ADVANCE AUTO PARTS Snap-On Tool Truck will be here.

CITY OF SUMTER BUSINESS LICENSES The City of Sumter Ordinance regulating licenses for City businesses states that â€œEvery person engaged or intending to engage in any calling, business, occupation or profession within the limits of the City of Sumter, South Carolina is required to pay an annual license fee and obtain a business license.â€? â€œThe required license fee shall be paid for each business subject thereto according to the applicable rate classiďŹ cation on or before the 15th day of February each year.â€? A 5% PENALTY WILL BE ASSESSED ON ALL LICENSE FEES WHICH ARE NOT PAID BY THE 15TH OF FEBRUARY, AND AN ADDITIONAL 5% PENALTY WILL BE ASSESSED ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH THAT THE LICENSE FEE REMAINS UNPAID. If any license fee shall remain unpaid for sixty (60) days after its due date, the Business License Department shall issue an execution which shall constitute a lien upon the property of the licensee for the tax, penalties and costs of collection.â€? If you do not receive an application in the mail, please stop by our ofďŹ ce at 12 W. Liberty Street in the Liberty Center (the old Brody bldg) or give us a call at 774-1601. We will be available to assist you with your application or answer any questions you might have.

SECTION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017 Call Ivy Moore at: (803) 774-1221 | E-mail: ivy@theitem.com

Museum, university present Mother Emanuel programs ‘We Are Charleston’ authors will discuss tragedy, racism BY IVY MOORE ivy@theitem.com

oth the University of South Carolina Sumter and the Sumter County Museum will present programs featuring the three authors of the book

“We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel” on Thursday, Feb. 16. USC Sumter’s program will be presented during the noon hour in the Arts and Letters Hall, while the museum’s program is set for 6 p.m. that day in the Heritage Education Center. Admission to both is free to the public. Ray McManus, director of the Center for Oral Narrative based at USC Sumter, said the university’s event will be a reading and discussion of the book by Herb Frazier, Bernard Powers Jr. and Marjory Wentworth. The three authors seek to make sense of the seemingly senseless actions of convicted murderer and white supremacist Dylann Roof, who on June 17, 2015, entered Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on Calhoun Street in Charleston, sat through a Bible study, then opened fire on the very people with whom he’d been sitting. Roof killed nine people that night, then escaped briefly, only to be captured the following day in North Carolina. When journalist Frazier, historian Powers and poet Wentworth wrote “We Are Charleston,” Roof had not yet been convicted. Their book looks not at a trial and conviction but at the racism that still pervades the country. It’s the story of the African Methodist Episcopal denomination and especially Mother Emanuel, both personal and historically accurate, and it’s a story of the power of forgiveness in the face of unabated hatred and violence. Dylann Roof has yet to express any regret for his murderous acts. Sumter County Museum Director Annie Rivers describes the 6 p.m. program there as “more of an informal community discussion” with the au-

thors, each of whom has a personal relationship with Mother Emanuel. Each regards the tragedy from a different perspective, and the authors found their varied backgrounds necessary to tell their story. In the introduction, they write: “Using the tools of the investigative reporter to find the central stories, the historian’s grasp of the past as context, and the poet’s ability to plumb the depths of the human condition ... we soon discovered that to be successful, it would take our combined abilities to achieve a task that not one of us could have accomplished alone. ... What happened on June 17 was an assault on humanity, and what has happened since has implications that echo far beyond South Carolina.” Herb Frazier is an awardwinning journalist who has been a reporter and editor with five Southern newspapers, including Charleston’s Post and Courier. He is currently the marketing and public relations manager at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens near Charleston. Dr. Bernard Powers Jr. teaches U.S. and AfricanAmerican history at the College of Charleston. He has been seen in numerous PBS films, including The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. Marjory Wentworth is poet laureate of South Carolina,

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Bernard Powers Jr., Marjory Wentworth and Herb Frazier are the authors of “We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel,” which recounts the events of June 17, 2015, when white supremacist Dylann Roof murdered nine members of a Bible study class at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston as a basis for the story of “the racialized history of Charleston and the nation.” They will present programs at University of South Carolina Sumter and the Sumter County Museum on Feb. 16. LEFT: The cover of “We Are Charleston” is shown. Representatives from Books-A-Million in Sumter Mall will be present with copies of the book, which cost $26.99, including tax. Twenty percent of sales will benefit the museum.

the co-founder of the Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts and a five-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize, which honors the best poetry and other short form

literary works in the nation each year. The 6 p.m. Feb. 16 community conversation and book signing at the museum with Frazier, Powers and Went-

worth is free and open to the public. Representatives from Books-A-Million will be present with copies of “We Are Charleston,” which sell for $26.99 including tax; twenty percent of all sales will benefit the museum. Refreshments will be served. For more information on the noon Feb. 16 USC Sumter event, contact Ray McManus, director of the S.C. Center for Oral Narrative, at drmcman@ uscsumter.edu or (803) 9383717. For more on the 6 p.m. Feb. 16 Sumter County Museum event, contact Director Annie Rivers at arivers@sumtercountymuseum.org or (803) 775-0908.

Posters promote dialogue on positive social change Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead, anthropologist, 1901-78 The Sumter County Museum will open a Smithsonian Institution Poster exhibit in conjunction with the We Are Charleston event. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) has partnered with the educational organization Facing History and Ourselves to dramatically increase access to the themes and content presented in its national initiative “Choosing to Participate” with a set of 11 posters designed to encourage dialogue, engagement, respect and participation in classrooms and communities. The posters will be on view at the Sumter County

Museum starting Feb. 16. They present the historical experiences of individuals and communities, explore the impact of cultural differences and encourage viewers to consider the consequences of everyday choices — to discover how “little things are big” — and to make a difference in their own communities. These graphically compelling colorful posters are being distributed at no cost to schools, libraries, museums and community organizations through partnerships including Teaching Tolerance, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the American Library Association. Founded in 1976, Facing History and Ourselves is an international educational and professional development nonprofit organization whose mission is to engage students of diverse backgrounds in an examination of racism, prejudice and antisemitism in order to promote the

development of a more humane and informed citizenry. Using historical events as a learning tool, students make the essential connection between history and the moral choices they confront in their own lives. For more information, visit www. facinghistory.org. SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for nearly 60 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. For more information, visit www.sites.si.edu. The Walmart Foundation is the National Sponsor of Choosing to Participate. Support for distribution to Teaching Tolerance is made possible by the Malka Fund.

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COMICS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017

THE SUMTER ITEM

BIZARRO

SOUP TO NUTZ

ANDY CAPP

GARFIELD

BEETLE BAILEY

BORN LOSER

BLONDIE

ZITS

MOTHER GOOSE

DOG EAT DOUG

DILBERT

JEFF MACNELLY’S SHOE

Dad seeks advice on dealing with unruly daughter DEAR ABBY — I need advice on how to deal with my 18-year-old daughter. A few months ago she was ready to go Dear Abby to college. ABIGAIL Then she VAN BUREN met this guy via Snapchat. He’s unemployed, lives with a friend who is under house arrest, has a criminal record and has nothing to offer her. We took our car away from our daughter to keep her from driving it there. Two weeks ago, she packed her stuff and left with him. She has no job, has spent all of her graduation money and is running up our cellphone bill

JUMBLE THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME By David L Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

while living with him. My wife is a wreck, and we don’t know what to do. Dad in North Carolina DEAR DAD — I empathize with your concern for your daughter, but she is immature and in love. Because she’s 18 you can’t drag her back home. Tell her that now she has “declared her independence and moved out,” you will no longer pay her cellphone bill. I’m guessing she’ll be back in no time. DEAR ABBY — I am a 50-yearold male who has been dating a younger girl (28) for a year now. Everything has been great with her except for one thing. I am a virgin. We recently discussed having relations and both agree that we want to. There’s just

THE DAILY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

one problem. I have really talked myself up. I lied and told her I am much larger than I actually am. Abby, I am terrified she’ll dump me after she sees me. Please give me some advice. Needs help fast DEAR NEEDS HELP — From what my “sexperts” tell me, many men at one time or another needlessly worry about their size. It’s very important before you embark on any adventure with this woman that you level with her. Perhaps the story of Pinocchio would be a logical place to start. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Each row, column and set of 3-by-3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 through 9 without repetition.

By Peg Slay

ACROSS 1 Blowout victory 5 Airline mentioned in the first line of the Beatles’ “Back in the U.S.S.R.” 9 Taj Mahal city 13 Old Renault 14 Cold, in Cádiz 15 Mark as important 16 Like most triangle angles 17 World-class 19 Glass manufacturing dioxide 21 Bk. read at Purim 22 Sports doc’s scan 23 Mantilla material 25 Univ. dorm overseers 26 “__ the fields we go ... “ 27 Codebreaking org. 28 Dream up 30 One inch = one foot, e.g. 32 Seals, as a deal 33 Program interruptions literally demonstrated by this puzzle’s four sets of circles

2/8/17 38 Not quite place 39 California’s San __ Zoo 40 Rubs elbows (with) 44 Kids’ recess game 45 Time of yr. for new growth 48 She raised Cain 49 It may be shaped on a wheel 52 Legal thing 53 Thickening agent 54 African desert 55 Sacred lily of ancient Egypt 58 Allow to pass 59 Architect Saarinen 60 Composer who was a CBS reporter 61 Bay and gray followers 62 Uno y dos 63 Concerning 64 Spoon’s escape partner DOWN 1 Means to an end 2 Pertaining to the eye 3 Marseille morning 4 Police unit

5 Fave texting bud 6 Projecting window 7 Respiratory cavity 8 Bulk-purchase club 9 Kilimanjaro’s cont. 10 Genre that influenced Prince 11 Hectic lifestyles 12 Biased targets of the Gray Panthers 13 Rodeo need 18 In that case 20 Extremely, musically 24 Angelic ring 29 “Later!” 30 Like logs 31 Bitter __ 33 Snow remover

34 Without a doubt 35 Tasting menu portion 36 Brings up 37 Sandwich filling for a lacto-ovo vegetarian 38 Frozen dessert 41 Play-of-color gem 42 South American capital 43 Australian sextet 45 Lists of nominees 46 Persona non grata 47 “__ Hope”: ‘70s-’80s soap 50 Have faith 51 French darling 56 Dawn goddess 57 HBO competitor

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

2/8/17

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Will ‘Legion’ be the thinking person’s comic book series? BY KEVIN MCDONOUGH “Mind-bending” is a phrase that’s fallen out of favor. But it’s the perfect way to describe “Legion” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA), a visually dazzling and wellacted new drama that seems destined to become the thinking person’s comic book series. The show’s audacious style grabs you from the start. The opening sequence offers a visual montage of a man’s growth from cradle to adulthood, from Mommy’s little darling to troubled teenage vandal to a heavily medicated 30-something all too accustomed to institutions. David Haller (Dan Stevens, “Downton Abbey”) has been hearing voices all his life and taking medication and conferring with a therapist for nearly as long. He’s first seen passing idle time with his chatty sidekick, Lenny (Aubrey Plaza, “Parks & Recreation”), who seems more animated and addled than David. His routine changes with the arrival of the beautiful Syd (Rachel Keller, “Fargo”), who is open to being David’s girlfriend but utterly phobic about physical contact. It would reveal too much to discuss their interaction and the changes it brings to David’s life and his self-awareness. Look for Jean Smart (“Fargo”) as a reassuring presence. “Legion” features a plot and a visual approach that defy

easy description. It simply has to be seen. Some may find the series’ depictions of schizophrenia more than a little disturbing. Others may fault its overtly “druggy” atmosphere, even though the mind-altering substances taken here are prescribed by authority figures. The name of David’s new friend Syd Barrett clearly refers to the founding member of Pink Floyd, whose use of hallucinogens and subsequent institutionalization have become part of rock and roll history. David’s name may or may not refer to the title character played by Keir Dullea in the 1962 film “David and Lisa,” a love affair set in a mental institution that also featured a fear of physical contact.

As someone who has long outgrown comic books, I can understand how “Legion” might appeal to a generation too familiar with the casual medication of inconvenient behavior as well as the mass incarceration of young men of color. “Legion” just may be a story for our times. I didn’t say they were good times. • “So Cosmo” (8 p.m., E!, TV14) documents the high-strung antics of the staff at a fashion/ lifestyle magazine.

TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS • Cahill attracts a stalker on “Lethal Weapon” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14). • Robotic critters capture intimate moments on “Spy in the

Wild” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings), a “Nature” miniseries. • Nelson continues to organize while serving a life sentence on part two of “Madiba” (8 p.m., BET), starring Laurence Fishburne, based on the memoirs of Nelson Mandela. • “Unsung” (8 p.m., TV One) profiles Blackstreet singer Dave Hollister. • Contagion spreads on the season finale of “Code Black” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14). • A teen runaway’s remains are discovered on “Chicago P.D.” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14). • The search for Rip continues on “Six” (10 p.m., History, TV-MA). • Lucy has second thoughts on “Man Seeking Woman” (10:30 p.m., FXX, TV-MA).

LATE NIGHT Anthony Anderson, Michelle Monaghan and Cristela Alonzo are booked on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) * Robert De Niro, Jake Tapper, Ezra Edelman, Flo Morrissey and Matthew E. White on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) * Jimmy Fallon welcomes Seth Meyers, Dev Patel and Kid Cudi on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) * Ice Cube, Ruby Rose and Ty Segall visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) * Neil Patrick Harris, Sienna Miller and Tom Ford are on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS, r). Copyright 2017 United Feature Syndicate

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Cheesy spinach lasagna is ideal crowd food BY KATIE WORKMAN Associated Press

CHEESY WHITE AND GREEN SPINACH LASAGNA

n the quest for crowd food, lasagna reigns supreme. And at this time of year, you may find yourself hosting a party, or just hold-

ing a cozy, friendly gathering. This lasagna is rich and creamy, absent the tomato sauce that anchors many lasagnas, filled with sauteed spinach folded into fluffy ricotta and a very simple béchamel sauce, rich with melty cheeses. The nutmeg is optional — a little can add a nice flavor, but too much can overpower. A few more notes on the ingredients: You may think that 2 pounds of spinach looks like an awful lot for one lasagna, but it cooks down to just a few cups. No-boil, or oven-ready, lasagna noodles are a gift to the busy cook, and the reason I make lasagna more often. I have also made this recipe in a superlarge lasagna pan and increased the quantities by half again. Then it will serve 12 to 16. It is tempting to dig into a bubbling lasagna, but resist the urge. Letting it sit for at least 10 minutes will reward you with slices that hold together, and it will still be perfectly warm — in fact, just the right temperature for you to enjoy the flavors without the pieces sliding apart on the plates. This can also be assembled a day ahead, held in the fridge and baked before dinner. Or it can be baked up to two days ahead and reheated for about 20 minutes in a 375 F oven.

Give pork chops a taste of New Orleans BY SARA MOULTON The Associated Press With Mardi Gras fast approaching, I thought it might be fun to salute New Orleans’ cuisine by finding a new use for the city’s unique and far-famed Creole spice mix.

SPICY PORK CHOPS IN CREOLE MUSTARD SAUCE Start to finish: 50 minutes (20 active) Servings: 4 4 teaspoons Creole Spice Mix (recipe below) or store-bought creole spice mix, divided

Serves 10 to 12 Start to finish: 2 hours Spinach-Basil-Ricotta Filling: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 cup minced shallots 1 tablespoon minced garlic Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 pounds baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped 2 pounds ricotta, preferably fresh 2 large eggs 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/3 cup for sprinkling the top 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves Béchamel-Cheese Sauce: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups (1 quart) whole milk Pinch ground nutmeg (optional) 1 pound fresh mozzarella, shredded 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 (8-ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles (containing 12 noodles) Preheat the oven to 375 F. Make the Spinach-Basil-Ricotta Fill-

Four 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch thick bone-in pork chops (about 10 to 12 ounces each) 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided 1 cup thinly sliced onion 3/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper 3/4 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery 1 cup medium chopped cherry or plum tomatoes 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons Creole (whole grain) mustard Kosher salt and black pepper Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the spice mix all over each chop, coating it well. Marinate the chops, covered, for at least 1 hour and preferably 6 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Pat the chops dry. In a large skillet, heat half the oil over mediumhigh heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add 2 of the chops, cook them until nicely seared

ing: Heat the tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add the shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper and saute for 2 minutes until tender. Add the spinach in batches and saute, adding more spinach as each batch wilts down, about 6 minutes in all, until all of the spinach is added and wilted. Adjust the seasoning, transfer to a strainer over a bowl, press down with a spoon to release excess liquid, and set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl combine the ricotta, eggs, 1 cup Parmesan, and the basil. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Make the Béchamel-Cheese Sauce: Heat the 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until the mixture turns a light golden color, about 3 minutes. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the milk. Continue to cook and whisk until the mixture thickens and bubbles, about 4 minutes, adding the nutmeg, if using. Whisk in the mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses until they are melted, and season with salt and pepper. If the spinach still seems wet, give it a squeeze with your hands. Stir the

about 1 1/2 minutes a side and transfer them to a rimmed sheet pan. (Reduce the heat if the spice mix starts to color too much in the pan.) Add the remaining chops and sear them, transferring them to the sheet pan. Bake the chops on the middle shelf of the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 140 F, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Add the remaining oil and the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and celery and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the tomato is softened, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer it for 2 minutes. Stir in the mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chops and any juices from the plate

drained spinach into the reserved ricotta mixture. Lay out all of the lasagna noodles on a clean counter top. Spread the spinach-ricotta filling evenly over all of the noodles, so that each is topped with about a 1/2-inch-thick layer of the spinach-ricotta mixture. Pour a small amount of Bechamel Sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-13inch pan and spread it out. Place four ricotta-covered noodles in the bottom of the pan to cover it in a single layer. Drizzle 1/3 of the white sauce over the noodles. Place another layer of the ricotta-covered noodles over the top, drizzle with another third of the sauce, and then repeat the layers once more. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes until the top is golden and the lasagna is bubbling. If you want a more browned top, run it under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes, watching it carefully. Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving warm. Nutrition information per serving: 674 calories; 383 calories from fat; 43 g fat (25 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 174 mg cholesterol; 871 mg sodium; 35 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 38 g protein.

to the skillet and cook gently, turning the chops until they are warmed, about 1 minute. Transfer the chops to each of four plates and top each one with a mound of the pepper mixture.

CREOLE SPICE MIX Makes a scant 3 tablespoons 2 teaspoons hot paprika 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon onion powder 3/4 teaspoon cayenne 3/4 teaspoon oregano 3/4 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and stir well. Nutritional information per serving: 429 calories; 242 calories from fat; 27 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 107 mg cholesterol; 425 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; 36 g protein.

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